Des Moines, Iowa — As we told you earlier, the Iowa Utilities Board gave its approval Thursday for a construction permit for the proposed Dakota Access Bakken oil pipeline that will cross 18 Iowa counties, including Lyon, Sioux and O’Brien here in northwest Iowa.
The Iowa Department of Natural Resources issued a permit later in the day that spokesman Kevin Baskins says will allow the company to cross public lands.
The D-N-R held a public information session on the permit request and Baskins says they used the same procedure that’s used for other utilities.
The D-N-R says it gets around 700 requests for utilities to cross public lands each year. This permit allows the pipeline to cross four public areas.
The permit lays out conditions that address the construction techniques required to be used.
Baskins says the D-N-R has also requirements in place the company must follow after the construction is complete.
The D-N-R permit is still conditional on authorization from the U-S Fish and Wildlife Service.
For it’s part, Dakota Access says they are pleased with the decisions rendered by the Iowa Utilities Board and the Iowa Department of Natural Resources. The company says they now have the necessary decisions from all four states regarding this important energy infrastructure project. As of today, Dakota Access says they have secured voluntary easement agreements on 90% of the properties across the four-state route with 97% in North Dakota, 93% in South Dakota, 82% in Iowa, and 92% in Illinois. Dakota Access says they will continue to work with landowners to negotiate voluntary easement agreements as construction begins.
