The Dakota Access Pipeline, the one that drew thousands of protesters from Oklahoma and other states over the past several months is ready to begin shipments of oil.
In a brief court filing with the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia, Dallas-based energy Transfer Partners said oil is already in the pipeline under the Missouri river reservoir in North Dakota where Native Americans led most of their protests.
The company said it is in the last stages of commissioning the 1,200-mile pipeline, despite being three months behind schedule because of the largest protests. Estimated cost of the line has been $3.8 billion.
“Oil has been placed in the Dakota Access Pipeline underneath Lake Oahe. Dakota Access is currently commissioning the full pipeline and is preparing to place the pipeline into service,” the filing stated.
But the Standing Rock and Cheyenne river Sioux tribes still have a lawsuit that was filed to block the project.
