No ruling in Thursday’s Dakota Access pipeline permit hearing

The Iowa Utilities Board isn’t likely to rule on Dakota Access’s request for a permit to build a 346-mile crude oil pipeline for at least another month.
IUB members on Thursday said they have scheduled another deliberation day for Feb. 19, and also tentatively scheduled additional hearings March 9 and 10.
The board met four days this week to go over, sometimes in minute detail, the request by the Texas-based oil transportation company, which wants to build a pipeline from the Bakken oil fields in North Dakota to a refinery and port in Illinois. Utility regulation officials in North Dakota, South Dakota and Illinois have already signed off on the request, leaving Iowa as the lone holdout along the four-state route. IUB members initially indicated a decision could come as early as December; mid-March is now looking much more likely.
Pick up the Feb. 17 edition of The Graphic-Advocate for in-depth coverage of Thursday’s hearing, during which board members talked about the factors they will weigh in determining wither the pipeline meets the statutory requirements to be a public convenience and necessity.