Federal officials on Thursday granted final approval for the Dakota Access oil pipeline to continue operating its Missouri River crossing. The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers issued the key easement, formally clearing the final federal hurdle for the multistate infrastructure project.
The approval carries new operational stipulations for the infrastructure. The pipeline operator must implement enhanced leak-detection protocols and establish systematic groundwater monitoring measures at the crossing. Federal officials stated the added conditions aim to track environmental risks while allowing active service to continue.
The $3.8 billion line transports crude oil across multiple states, delivering product from North Dakota’s Bakken oil fields to a distribution terminal in Illinois. Since commercial operations began in June 2017, the pipeline has moved approximately 540,000 barrels of oil per day. The volume represents roughly 4% of total U.S. daily crude oil production.
Thursday’s decision concludes a prolonged legal and regulatory sequence that traces back to 2016 and 2017, when boisterous protests against the project drew international attention to the North Dakota prairie. Indigenous community members and environmental advocates camped along the river for months to oppose the crossing, raising concerns over potential contamination of regional water supplies.
While the Army Corps’ action resolves the federal permitting question, the announcement noted that the regulatory closure may not prevent future legal challenges. The pipeline has faced repeated judicial scrutiny over environmental grounds, and further litigation remains likely as stakeholders assess the final terms of the authorization.