The South Dakota Public Utilities Commission is into the second week of hearings on a permit application by the Dakota Access Pipeline. Energy Transfer Partners of Texas wants to build the pipeline and ship crude oil from the Bakken Fields in North Dakota across South Dakota into Iowa ending up in Illinois. Yankton Sioux Tribal member Faith Spotted Eagle who testified against the project says she’s concerned with intrusion into treaty territory and aboriginal rights.
Spotted Eagle says another concern she has is moving 1400 workers into a sparsely populated area.
Spotted Eagle says she’s concerned the pipeline will cause water pollution and harm sacred tribal sites.
The Public Utilities Commission hearing runs through today. A decision on the pipeline permit is expected to be made by December.