On Wednesday, the North Dakota Public Service Commission approved the permit for the biggest-capacity pipeline to date, the Dakota Access Pipeline.
The longest leg of the 1,130 mile pipeline will run through approximately 360 miles of North Dakota, beginning near Stanley and would end near Patoka, Illinois. The 12-inch to 30-inch diameter pipeline will pass through 50 counties in 4 states: North Dakota, South Dakota, Iowa and Illinois.
The North Dakota Public Service Commission had been reviewing Dallas-based Energy Transfer Partners' permit for 13 months and voted 2-0 to approve the permit; Commissioner Randy Christmann abstained because his mother-in-law has been negotiating an easement for the project.
The pipeline will vary in diameter from 12 inches to 30 inches and will be buried at least 4 feet below ground and up to 64 feet at Missouri River crossings. The company will have many safeguards in place including leak detection equipment. Remote workers will monitor the pipeline and could close block valves within three minutes if a leak were detected.
Pipe has been staged along the route and is expected to create 300 to 500 construction jobs in North Dakota. Energy Transfer Partners hopes to complete the pipeline by late 2016.
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