Des Moines, Iowa — It looks like we’ll have to wait until March to know if the Bakken Oil Pipeline will be approved or denied in Iowa. It’s already been approved in North and South Dakota and Illinois.
On Friday, February 19, 2016, the Iowa Utilities Board approved a motion to recess its deliberation meeting into closed session on the proposed Dakota Access pipeline case, and instructed staff to draft an order for the Board’s review and consideration when the board reconvenes into open session on March 9, 2016. The board has reserved March 9th and 10th for additional pipeline deliberation meetings.
The board says that when they come back into open session on March 9th, they will review the draft order and discuss any changes necessary in order to reach a decision on March 9th or 10th. They say no additional evidence will be taken and no witnesses will be called. In addition, there will be no opportunity for the parties or the general public to address the board and no signs or placards will be permitted in the hearing room.
The Dakota Access Pipeline is a $3.78 billion infrastructure project that is planned to transport approximately 450,000 barrels per day, with a capacity as high as 570,000 barrels per day, of domestically-produced light sweet crude oil from the Bakken and Three Forks production areas in North Dakota to Patoka, Illinois, where shippers will be able to access multiple markets including Midwest, East Coast and Gulf Coast regions. $189 million is earmarked to go to landowners for easements.
