As we’ve highlighted previously , the Dakota Access Pipeline underwent a rigorous multi-agency permitting process prior to being built.

Before beginning construction, Dakota Access was required to obtain permits from regulatory agencies in each of the states that it traversed. These reviews, which were independent of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers’ own detailed analysis, involved extensive outreach of landowners, state agencies, local governments, public interest groups, tribes, and various other stakeholders.

In North Dakota, this process was led by the North Dakota Public Service Commission (NDPSC), an elected three-person state board responsible for regulating electric and natural gas utilities, …