North Dakota Settles with Dakota Access Pipeline Builder

BISMARCK, N.D. (AP) — North Dakota regulators have approved an agreement settling allegations that the Texas-based builder of the Dakota Access pipeline violated state rules during construction.North Dakota’s Public Service Commission last year accused Energy Transfer Partners of improperly reporting the discovery of American Indian artifacts. Regulators also were looking into whether crews removed too many trees.

The deal the commission approved Wednesday calls for ETP to help develop and promote an industry manual for handling artifacts discoveries, and to plant more trees along the pipeline route than it had proposed. The state isn’t requiring a $15,000 fine or payment, as it had proposed earlier.

The agreement was worked out by attorneys for the company and the commission.

The $3.8 billion pipeline began moving North Dakota oil to Illinois on June 1.