Army denies Dakota pipeline permit, in victory for Native tribes

Sun Dec 4, 2016 | 7:10 PM EST ‹ Morton County Sheriff Kyle Kirchmeier, takes part in an interview with Reuters at his office in Mandan, North Dakota, U.S., December 3, 2016. REUTERS/Andrew Hofstetter 10/10 Morton County Sheriff Kyle Kirchmeier, takes part in an interview with Reuters at his office in Mandan, North Dakota, U.S., December 3, 2016. Reuters/Andrew Hofstetter Oglala Sioux tribal elder Lance King (C) and Chief Arvol Looking Horse of Green Grass South Dakota, who is the spiritual leader of the Lakota, Dakota and Nakota Sioux Nations (C) listen as activist Dr. Cornel West speaks during an interfaith ceremony inside of the Oceti Sakowin camp as demonstrations continue against plans to pass the Dakota Access pipeline near the Standing Rock Indian Reservation, near Cannon Ball, North Dakota, U.S., December 4, 2016. REUTERS/Lucas Jackson 1/10 Oglala Sioux tribal elder Lance King (C) and Chief Arvol Looking Horse of Green Grass South Dakota, who is the spiritual leader of the Lakota, Dakota and Nakota Sioux Nations (C) listen as activist Dr. Cornel West speaks during an interfaith ceremony inside of the Oceti Sakowin camp as demonstrations continue against plans to pass the Dakota Access pipeline near the Standing Rock Indian Reservation, near Cannon Ball, North Dakota, U.S., December 4, 2016. Reuters/Lucas Jackson People celebrate in Oceti Sakowin camp as ''water protectors'' continue to demonstrate against plans to pass the Dakota Access pipeline near the Standing Rock Indian Reservation, near Cannon Ball, North Dakota, U.S. December 4, 2016. REUTERS/Stephanie Keith 2/10 People celebrate in Oceti Sakowin camp as ''water protectors'' continue to demonstrate against plans to pass the Dakota Access pipeline near the Standing Rock Indian Reservation, near Cannon Ball, North Dakota, U.S. December 4, 2016. Reuters/Stephanie Keith People celebrate in Oceti Sakowin camp as ''water protectors'' continue to demonstrate against plans to pass the Dakota Access pipeline near the Standing Rock Indian Reservation, near Cannon Ball, North Dakota, U.S. December 4, 2016. REUTERS/Stephanie Keith 3/10 People celebrate in Oceti Sakowin camp as ''water protectors'' continue to demonstrate against plans to pass the Dakota Access pipeline near the Standing Rock Indian Reservation, near Cannon Ball, North Dakota, U.S. December 4, 2016. Reuters/Stephanie Keith Chief Arvol Looking Horse of Green Grass South Dakota, who is the spiritual leader of the Lakota, Dakota and Nakota Sioux Nations (C) of Green Grass South Dakota listens to speakers inside of the Oceti Sakowin camp as demonstrations continue against plans to pass the Dakota Access pipeline near the Standing Rock Indian Reservation, near Cannon Ball, North Dakota, U.S., December 4, 2016. REUTERS/Lucas Jackson 4/10 Chief Arvol Looking Horse of Green Grass South Dakota, who is the spiritual leader of the Lakota, Dakota and Nakota Sioux Nations (C) of Green Grass South Dakota listens to speakers inside of the Oceti Sakowin camp as demonstrations continue against plans to pass the Dakota Access pipeline near the Standing Rock Indian Reservation, near Cannon Ball, North Dakota, U.S., December 4, 2016. Reuters/Lucas Jackson People celebrate in Oceti Sakowin camp as ''water protectors'' continue to demonstrate against plans to pass the Dakota Access pipeline near the Standing Rock Indian Reservation, near Cannon Ball, North Dakota, U.S. December 4, 2016. REUTERS/Stephanie Keith 5/10 People celebrate in Oceti Sakowin camp as ''water protectors'' continue to demonstrate against plans to pass the Dakota Access pipeline near the Standing Rock Indian Reservation, near Cannon Ball, North Dakota, U.S. December 4, 2016. Reuters/Stephanie Keith People celebrate in Oceti Sakowin camp as ''water protectors'' continue to demonstrate against plans to pass the Dakota Access pipeline near the Standing Rock Indian Reservation, near Cannon Ball, North Dakota, U.S. December 4, 2016. REUTERS/Stephanie Keith 6/10 People celebrate in Oceti Sakowin camp as ''water protectors'' continue to demonstrate against plans to pass the Dakota Access pipeline near the Standing Rock Indian Reservation, near Cannon Ball, North Dakota, U.S. December 4, 2016. Reuters/Stephanie Keith Jim Blok, a veteran, walks past a veteran camp in Oceti Sakowin camp as ''water protectors'' continue to demonstrate against plans to pass the Dakota Access pipeline near the Standing Rock Indian Reservation, near Cannon Ball, North Dakota, U.S. December 3, 2016. REUTERS/Stephanie Keith 7/10 Jim Blok, a veteran, walks past a veteran camp in Oceti Sakowin camp as ''water protectors'' continue to demonstrate against plans to pass the Dakota Access pipeline near the Standing Rock Indian Reservation, near Cannon Ball, North Dakota, U.S. December 3, 2016. Reuters/Stephanie Keith Veterans attend a Sioux tribal welcome meeting at Sitting Bull College as ''water protectors'' continue to demonstrate against plans to pass the Dakota Access pipeline near the Standing Rock Indian Reservation, in Fort Yates, North Dakota, U.S., December 3, 2016. REUTERS/Stephanie Keith 8/10 Veterans attend a Sioux tribal welcome meeting at Sitting Bull College as ''water protectors'' continue to demonstrate against plans to pass the Dakota Access pipeline near the Standing Rock Indian Reservation, in Fort Yates, North Dakota, U.S., December 3, 2016. Reuters/Stephanie Keith Veterans attend a Sioux tribal welcome meeting at Sitting Bull College as ''water protectors'' continue to demonstrate against plans to pass the Dakota Access pipeline near the Standing Rock Indian Reservation, in Fort Yates, North Dakota, U.S. December 3, 2016. REUTERS/Stephanie Keith 9/10 Veterans attend a Sioux tribal welcome meeting at Sitting Bull College as ''water protectors'' continue to demonstrate against plans to pass the Dakota Access pipeline near the Standing Rock Indian Reservation, in Fort Yates, North Dakota, U.S. December 3, 2016. Reuters/Stephanie Keith Morton County Sheriff Kyle Kirchmeier, takes part in an interview with Reuters at his office in Mandan, North Dakota, U.S., December 3, 2016. REUTERS/Andrew Hofstetter 10/10 Morton County Sheriff Kyle Kirchmeier, takes part in an interview with Reuters at his office in Mandan, North Dakota, U.S., December 3, 2016. Reuters/Andrew Hofstetter Oglala Sioux tribal elder Lance King (C) and Chief Arvol Looking Horse of Green Grass South Dakota, who is the spiritual leader of the Lakota, Dakota and Nakota Sioux Nations (C) listen as activist Dr. Cornel West speaks during an interfaith ceremony inside of the Oceti Sakowin camp as demonstrations continue against plans to pass the Dakota Access pipeline near the Standing Rock Indian Reservation, near Cannon Ball, North Dakota, U.S., December 4, 2016. REUTERS/Lucas Jackson 1/10 Oglala Sioux tribal elder Lance King (C) and Chief Arvol Looking Horse of Green Grass South Dakota, who is the spiritual leader of the Lakota, Dakota and Nakota Sioux Nations (C) listen as activist Dr. Cornel West speaks during an interfaith ceremony inside of the Oceti Sakowin camp as demonstrations continue against plans to pass the Dakota Access pipeline near the Standing Rock Indian Reservation, near Cannon Ball, North Dakota, U.S., December 4, 2016. Reuters/Lucas Jackson › Army denies Dakota pipeline permit, in victory for. By Ernest Scheyder and Valerie Volcovici | CANNON BALL, N.D./WASHINGTON The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers said on Sunday it turned down a permit for a controversial pipeline project running through North Dakota, in a victory for Native Americans and climate activists who have protested against the project for several months. A celebration erupted at the main protest camp in Cannon Ball, North Dakota, where the Standing Rock Sioux tribe and others have been protesting the 1,172-mile (1,885-km) Dakota Access Pipeline for months. It may prove to be a short-lived victory, however, because Republican President-elect Donald Trump has stated that he supports the project. Trump takes over from Democratic President Barack Obama on Jan. 20 and policy experts believe he could reverse the decision if he wanted to. The line, owned by Texas-based Energy Transfer Partners LP, had been complete except for a segment planned to run under Lake Oahe, a reservoir formed by a dam on the Missouri River. That stretch required an easement from federal authorities. The Obama administration delayed a decision on the permit twice in an effort to consult further with the tribe. "The Army will not grant an easement to cross Lake Oahe at the proposed location based on the current record," a statement from the U.S. Army said. Jo-Ellen Darcy, the Army's Assistant Secretary for Civil Works, said in a statement the decision was based on a need to explore alternate routes for the pipeline, although it remains unclear what those alternatives will be. Protesters have said the $3.8 billion project could contaminate the water supply and damage sacred tribal lands. "I hope they follow through here with this. They haven't been following the law all along. So we'll see - but this is a victory today for our people and our water," said Gerad Kipp, 44, an irrigation engineer from Missoula, Montana and a Native American. In a statement, Standing Rock Chairman Dave Archambault II thanked activists for their support in the protest effort. "The Standing Rock Sioux Tribe and all of Indian Country will be forever grateful to the Obama Administration for this historic decision," he said. "We want to thank everyone who played a role in advocating for this cause. We thank the tribal youth who initiated this movement." Protest organizers had for months argued that crossing the Missouri River adjacent to the Standing Rock Sioux Reservation presented a danger to their water source. Protests grew over the months, with hundreds of veterans flocking to the camp in recent days to stand against what they say are aggressive tactics from law enforcement. Activists at the camp were seen hugging each other and letting out Native American war cries on Sunday, but many remained wary, knowing that Trump has voiced support for the line. "It's not a 100 percent victory. But I think the people who've been here for almost eight months have earned the right to be excited today," said Eryn Wise, 26, an organizer with International Indigenous Youth Council, at the camp. 'FAILS TO RESOLVE ISSUE' North Dakota Congressman Kevin Cramer and Senator John Hoeven, both Republicans who favor the line, blasted the decision, saying it "violates the rule of law and fails to resolve the issue." Cramer, an adviser to Trump under consideration for a cabinet post, said the president-elect would "restore law and order." Trump has yet to react to Sunday's decision. "He [Trump] could approve the pipeline within a matter of hours of taking office," said Brigham McCown, the former head of the U.S. Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration (PHMSA) under George W. Bush. "He can simply reinstate the previous decision or by executive order say that it’s part of national critical infrastructure and approve a permit." Still, the pipeline route's opponents said they hope the line will be rerouted. "We're hopeful that when the Trump administration takes office it will look at all of the priorities it has and that putting at risk the water supply of the Standing Rock Sioux isn't on their list," said Michael Brune, executive director of the Sierra Club. Any alternative route would still likely need to cross the Missouri River, probably upstream of Lake Oahe and closer to the state capital of Bismarck. Many pipelines travel under U.S. waterways already, and pipe is considered a safer way to transport crude oil than rail. North Dakota Senator Heidi Heitkamp, a Democrat, nodded to the fact that the next steps remain unclear, saying in a statement Sunday the pipeline "still remains in limbo." Energy Transfer has said in the past they did not intend to reroute the line. Even if the easement had been granted, it would have been months before the line was completed. Pipeline proponents are also looking to different policies from the incoming Trump administration, particularly after the Obama Administration's denial of the Keystone XL pipeline, which would have come down from Canada through Nebraska. A number of states and municipalities in the country have made it more difficult to build pipelines in recent years. "With the federal environmental assessment finding the current route will have the least impact on the environment, we're looking forward to getting past this administration's politicization of Dakota Access and future decisions made on the merits of this project," said John Stoody, a spokesman for the Association of Oil Pipe Lines, in Washington. A spokesperson for Energy Transfer Partners could not immediately be reached for comment. (Additional reporting by Terray Sylvester in Cannon Ball, and Jessica Resnick Ault in New York and Liz Hampton in Houston; Writing by David Gaffen; Editing by Chris Reese and Mary Milliken)

Egypt, Saudi Arabia sign 60 billion Saudi riyal investment fund pact

New Royal Adelaide Hospital project director quits amid continued delays 9NEWS By 9NEWS The project director for the new Royal Adelaide Hospital (RAH) Judith Carr has resigned, after building consortium SA Health Partnerships failed to meet a technical completion deadline. (Facebook/SA Health) The project director for the new Royal Adelaide Hospital (RAH) Judith Carr has resigned, after building consortium SA Health Partnerships failed to meet a technical completion deadline. (Facebook/SA Health) FShareTTweetBMailAMore The project director for the new Royal Adelaide Hospital (RAH) Judith Carr has resigned, after building consortium SA Health Partnerships failed to meet a technical completion deadline. Health Minister Jack Snelling is believed issued a major default against the contractor last Monday, taking SA Health Partnerships to task last week for offering “pie-in-the-sky” completion dates, The Advertiser reported. It comes as yet another in a series of setbacks and delays for the $2.78 billion, 11-storey construction venture named the “third most expensive project in the world”. Mrs Carr has declined to comment as to her reasons for quitting, however sources close to the former director believe she had intended to retire following the RAH’s completion. Mrs Carr is also set to depart her position as Executive Director of Procurement at the South Australian Department of Planning, Transport and Infrastructure. “Judith has made an exceptional contribution to the NRAH (new Royal Adelaide Hospital) project and I thank her and wish her well,” Mr Snelling said in a written statement to the Sunday Mail. Mrs Carr is believed to have acted as mediator between the government and contractors, in the wake of contract disputes over expenses stemming from design changes and cleaning up contaminated soil. Opposition health spokesman Stephen Wade has slammed the government for its management of the project, claiming the new RAH is $640 million over budget, and that it will open a year later than originally scheduled. “There is now an engulfing sense of crisis in the new RAH project and Jack Snelling is not even giving a hint that he has the capacity to get it back on track,” Mr Wade said. Mrs Carr will be replaced by her deputy, Simon Morony, SA Health’s long-standing facility development director. Mrs Carr is not the first senior employee to leave the new RAH building project. RAH program director Andrew Nielsen resigned last year, citing personal reasons. Dr David Panter, then-chief executive of the Central Adelaide Local Health Network, of which the Royal Adelaide Hospital is a part had quit weeks earlier. Dr Panter held the position of RAH project director previously. Read more at http://www.9news.com.au/health/2016/04/10/16/18/new-royal-adelaide-hospital-project-director-quits-amid-continued-delays#bXv0xEcBtvLhajDD.99 =================== Sat Apr 9, 2016 7:12pm EDT Related: World, Saudi Arabia, Egypt CAIRO | By Ali Abdelaty Egypt's President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi welcomes Saudi Arabia's King Salman in Cairo, Egypt, in this handout photo received April 7, 2016. Reuters/Saudi Press Agency/Handout via Reuters Egypt and Saudi Arabia signed an agreement late on Saturday to set up a 60 billion Saudi riyal investment fund among other investment agreements including an economic free-zone to develop Egypt's Sinai region, Egyptian state television reported. The signing of the agreements took place in Egypt's Abdeen palace in the presence of Egypt's President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi and Saudi's King Salman, during a rare 4-day visit to Egypt. Egypt has struggled to spur economic growth since the 2011 uprising ushered in political instability that scared off tourists and foreign investors, key sources of foreign currency. Egyptian state TV said the agreement was to establish "a Saudi-Egyptian investment fund with a capital of 60 billion riyals between the Saudi Public Investment Fund and the entities belonging to it and the Egyptian government and the entities that belong to it." A memorandum of understanding was also signed between the Saudi Public Investment Fund and the Egyptian International Cooperation Ministry to set up an economic free-zone in Sinai. No other details were announced. The two countries also signed agreements to develop a 2250 Megawatt electricity plant with a cost of $2.2 billion, set up agriculture complexes in Sinai and develop a canal to transfer water, a statement from the Presidency said. The statement also said that a company was set up to develop 6 square kilometers of the industrial zone around Egypt's Suez Canal worth $3.3 billion, without giving further details. The investments are part of a change in strategy from Saudi Arabia to focus more on financial support that will also benefit Saudi Arabia with return on investment. Saudi Arabia, along with other Gulf oil producers, has pumped billions of dollars, including grants, into Egypt's flagging economy since the army toppled President Mohamed Mursi of the Muslim Brotherhood in 2013 after mass protests against his rule. Some of the projects announced on Saturday include private sector investments. Last week the deputy head of the Saudi-Egyptian Business Council told Reuters that Saudi businessmen are investing around $4 billion in projects in Egypt and have already deposited 10 percent of that sum in Egyptian banks. Egypt is aiming for direct foreign investment of around $8-$10 billion in 2015/16. On Friday, King Salman announced that a bridge connecting Egypt and Saudi Arabia would be built across the Red Sea. No details were given. Egypt also signed development agreements with Saudi Arabia worth $590 million, Egyptian International Cooperation Minister Sahar Nasr said on Friday. She said the agreements, signed with the Saudi finance minister, covered development in the Sinai peninsula, agriculture, housing and a university. The agreements also include a memorandum of understanding between Saudi Aramco and Egypt's Arab Petroleum Pipelines Company SUMED. (Reporting by Ali Abdelatty, writing by Asma Alsharif; Editing by Tom Brown and Franklin Paul) ======================= Sat Apr 9, 2016 10:17pm EDT TransCanada receives approval notice for Keystone pipeline restart A TransCanada Keystone Pipeline pump station operates outside Steele City, Nebraska March 10, 2014. REUTERS/Lane Hickenbottom A TransCanada Keystone Pipeline pump station operates outside Steele City, Nebraska March 10, 2014. Reuters/Lane Hickenbottom TransCanada Corp (TRP.TO) said it received authorization from the Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration on Saturday evening to restart the 590,000 barrel per day Keystone crude pipeline at reduced pressure. The Canadian pipeline company said that regulator PHMSA has approved a return to service plan for a controlled start. It was not immediately clear when and if the pipeline had restarted. The pipeline, which delivers light and heavy crude from Hardisty, Alberta, to Cushing, Oklahoma, and Illinois, was shut last Saturday after a potential leak was discovered in South Dakota. (Reporting by Catherine Ngai in New York; Editing by Matthew Lewis)

Canada's Enbridge says has repaired oil line after leak

Wed, Aug 01 23:42 PM EDT (Reuters) - Enbridge Inc said on Wednesday that it had completed repairs on a ruptured pipeline from Canada that has been shut for five days following an oil leak in rural Wisconsin. The leak was not particularly large, but it comes at a sensitive time for the Canadian firm, which has suffered a series of leaks in recent years and is embarking on a massive expansion program. Enbridge said earlier in the day that it submitted a plan to U.S. regulators seeking permission to restart the pipeline, though it was unclear how long it would take to get approval. "Enbridge will continue to coordinate its efforts with the Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration (PHMSA)," the company said in a statement. The PHMSA on Tuesday issued a so-called corrective action order that blocked Enbridge from resuming operations on the pipeline, which carries light crude to Chicago-area refineries, until certain conditions were met. Corrective orders can delay resumption of pipeline operations, sometimes for weeks or months. When an Enbridge pipeline spilled crude into Michigan's Kalamazoo River in 2010, the line was not approved for restart until six weeks later. BLASTED U.S. Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood on Tuesday blasted Enbridge over the estimated 1,200-barrel leak in Wisconsin, saying it was "absolutely unacceptable" and that he would meet with the company's leadership to seek an explanation of why it should be allowed to continue operating the line. Apart from providing a restart plan for the entire 467-mile (752-km) pipeline, Enbridge will also need to test the line, evaluate previous inspections and commission an independent probe of its integrity management. Line 14 is a 24-inch diameter pipe that was installed in 1998, making it a relatively new line. Enbridge said the line had been inspected twice in the past five years. Meanwhile, Canadian regulators said they plan to carry out a series of safety audits at Enbridge in coming months to make sure its pipeline control-room procedures, heavily criticized last month by a U.S. watchdog, meet acceptable standards. (Reporting by Koustav Samanta, Soma Das and NR Sethuraman in Bangalore; Jeffrey Jones in Calgary; Editing by Joseph Radford)