Company showed ‘lack of transparency’ in reporting artifacts discovery in days leading up to ...

Company showed ‘lack of transparency’ in reporting artifacts discovery in days leading up to pipeline conflict

The company building a controversial oil pipeline north of the Standing Rock Sioux Reservation failed to immediately notify state regulators after finding four stone cairns and other artifacts during construction in Morton County as tensions grew among pipeline opponents, documents show.

Dakota Access LLC, a subsidiary of Dallas-based Energy Transfer Partners, waited at least 10 days to notify the Public Service Commission about an unanticipated discovery found in mid-October, a potential violation of the state permit that authorizes pipeline construction.

The company formally notified the PSC on Thursday, making the unanticipated discovery report a public record for the first time, the same day hundreds of law enforcement officers evicted protesters blocking the pipeline’s construction route on private land, leading to 141 arrests.

Commission Chairwoman Julie Fedorchak said she’s disappointed the company didn’t notify the PSC at the same time as the State Historic Preservation Office.

Read more: http://bismarcktribune.com/news/state-and-regional/company-showed-lack-of-transparency-in-reporting-artifacts-discovery-in/article_03561aeb-ee3d-5108-afd0-40df7d103d82.html