DALLAS--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Energy Transfer Partners, L.P. (NYSE: ETP) and Sunoco Logistics Partners, L.P. (NYSE: SXL) today announced that in two related court filings made late last night in U.S. federal district court in Washington, D.C., it has sought a judgment declaring that Dakota Access Pipeline has the legal right-of-way to build, complete and operate the Dakota Access Pipeline without any further action from the Army Corps of Engineers (the “Corps”). In these actions, Dakota Access Pipeline is requesting the court to confirm that the Corps has already granted all of the relevant authorizations and given Dakota Access Pipeline its right-of-way to finish the pipeline beneath the federal land that borders Lake Oahe in North Dakota as a result of its prior actions in granting a permit to allow Dakota Access Pipeline to cross the Missouri River at Lake Oahe.
The declaratory relief Dakota Access Pipeline has sought seeks to end the Administration’s political interference in the Dakota Access Pipeline review process. This relief is fully warranted because the Corps has never before declined to provide written documentation of the granting of an easement, a perfunctory ministerial act, to use federally owned land after granting regulatory permission for work on the very same land. Granting the declaratory judgment would restore normal order to the federal permitting process and end the Administration’s flagrant disregard for the rule of law.
“Dakota Access Pipeline has waited long enough to complete this pipeline. Dakota Access Pipeline has been granted every permit, approval, certificate, and right-of-way needed for the pipeline’s construction. It is time for the Courts to end this political interference and remove whatever legal cloud that may exist over the right-of-way beneath federal land at Lake Oahe,” said Kelcy Warren, CEO of Energy Transfer Partners.
Dakota Access Pipeline made its filings after the Corps announced yesterday that it had completed the additional review regarding the Dakota Access Pipeline that had started on September 9, 2016. The Corps concluded once again “that its previous decisions” regarding Dakota Access Pipeline’s proposed crossing at the Lake Oahe site “comported with legal requirements.”
That should have brought the unwarranted delay to a close. But without even identifying any specific problem with its almost three year review, or the record it was based upon, the Army has now determined that “additional discussion with the Standing Rock Sioux Tribe and analysis are warranted” and that while its discussions with the Standing Rock Sioux Tribe “are ongoing, construction on or under Corps land bordering or under Lake Oahe cannot occur because the Army has not made a final decision on whether to grant an easement.” The declaratory relief Dakota Access Pipeline has sought directly challenges the Corps’ position that it cannot complete construction around Lake Oahe.
The additional review process being proposed is the result of political interference from the Obama Administration. The declaratory relief Dakota Access has sought seeks to end this interference and restore the rule of law so that the pipeline can be completed.
About Energy Transfer Partners
Energy Transfer Partners, L.P. (NYSE: ETP) is a master limited partnership that owns and operates one of the largest and most diversified portfolios of energy assets in the United States. ETP’s subsidiaries include Panhandle Eastern Pipe Line Company, LP (the successor of Southern Union Company) and Lone Star NGL LLC, which owns and operates natural gas liquids storage, fractionation and transportation assets. In total, ETP currently owns and operates more than 62,500 miles of natural gas and natural gas liquids pipelines. ETP also owns the general partner, 100% of the incentive distribution rights, and approximately 67.1 million common units in Sunoco Logistics Partners L.P. (NYSE: SXL), which operates a geographically diverse portfolio of crude oil and refined products pipelines, terminalling and crude oil acquisition and marketing assets. ETP’s general partner is owned by Energy Transfer Equity, L.P. For more information, visit the Energy Transfer Partners, L.P. web site at www.energytransfer.com.
About Sunoco Logistics
Sunoco Logistics Partners L.P. (NYSE: SXL) is a master limited partnership that owns and operates a logistics business consisting of a geographically diverse portfolio of complementary pipeline, terminalling, and acquisition and marketing assets which are used to facilitate the purchase and sale of crude oil, refined products, and natural gas liquids, and refined products. SXL’s general partner is a consolidated subsidiary of Energy Transfer Partners, L.P. (NYSE: ETP). For more information, visit the Sunoco Logistics Partners L.P. website at www.sunocologistics.com.
Forward-Looking Statements
This press release may include certain statements concerning expectations for the future that are forward-looking statements as defined by federal law. Such forward-looking statements are subject to a variety of known and unknown risks, uncertainties, and other factors that are difficult to predict and many of which are beyond management’s control. An extensive list of factors that can affect future results are discussed in the Partnerships’ Annual Report on Form 10-K and other documents filed from time to time with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The Partnerships undertake no obligation to update or revise any forward-looking statement to reflect new information or events.
