October 25, 2016
Colonel Craig Baumgartner, District Commander
U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Rock Island
Clock Tower Building
P.O. Box 2004
Rock Island, IL 61204

Colonel Anthony Mitchell, District Commander
U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, St. Louis
1222 Spruce Street
St. Louis, MO 63103

Colonel John W. Henderson, District Commander
U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Omaha
1616 Capitol Ave., Ste. 9000
Omaha, NE 68102
Dear Commanders Baumgartner, Henderson, and Mitchell:
As governors of three states which the Dakota Access Pipeline route crosses – Iowa, North Dakota, and
South Dakota – we write to you today to ask the United States Army Corps of Engineers to adhere to the
process which was in place when this project began as you make the decision to issue the final federal
easement required for the Dakota Access Pipeline to cross the Missouri River in North Dakota. We
support an all-of-the-above energy approach, including traditional energy sources and renewable energy
resources that give consumers energy choices in their homes, businesses, and vehicles.
The Dakota Access Pipeline has secured approvals from each of our respective states. Our individual
utilities boards and commissions have agreed that the efforts outlined by Dakota Access will maintain the
integrity of the land the pipeline crosses and will avoid or mitigate any effects to the surrounding
environment or communities along the route. To date, the Dakota Access Pipeline is a 1,172 mile project
which is at this moment roughly 75 percent complete. More than 96 percent of the route has already been
lawfully approved and thoroughly reviewed in our states.
In addition to the states’ regulatory reviews of this project, the project developers have consulted with
your agency to ensure adherence to the current environmental review process. The U.S. Army Corps of
Engineers has spent well over a year reviewing the permit and it is now time for the Corps of Engineers to
proceed with the last step of the process so that our states can begin to realize the benefits and
opportunities provided by this important and vital piece of energy infrastructure. It is our understanding
that this project meets all of the established federal requirements necessary to move the project forward.
We understand that there is an effort underway to evaluate and potentially amend the process by which
the federal government relates to tribal nations with the siting and permitting of potential infrastructure
projects. Until formal changes are made to your regulatory process, it is critical to adhere to the current
and established regulatory requirements in place today.
Further delay in issuing the easement will negatively impact our states and our citizens. Construction
delays will negatively impact landowners and farmers who will risk having multiple growing seasons
impacted by construction activities. It is in the best interest of all parties to mitigate any further negative
impacts.

 We recognize the importance of environmental stewardship and have great trust and respect for the
diligent work and review state officials have conducted over the past year and a half. We strongly support
their decision to approve the project. The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers’ mission is to facilitate energyrelated permits as a national objective and prioritize those applications. With this mission in mind, we
urge you act expeditiously to execute the regulatory review process that was in place when this project
began.
Sincerely,

Terry E. Branstad
Governor of Iowa

cc:

Jack Dalrymple
Governor of North Dakota

Dennis Daugaard
Governor of South Dakota

Assistant Secretary Jo-Ellen Darcy, Assistant Secretary of the Army (Civil Works)