On June 22, 2016 the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (Service) announced the availability of the Finding of No Significant Impact (FONSI) for the portion of the Dakota Access Pipeline that temporarily impacts 71.8 acres of wetland easements in North and South Dakota. No grassland easements or publicly owned lands managed by the Service will be impacted by the project. Copies of the Final Environmental Assessment and Finding of No Significant Impact are available on the Sand Lake NWR Complex website at: https://www.fws.gov/refuge/sand_lake/. For additional information, contact Harris J. Hoistad at 605-885-6320

The approximately 1,150 mile pipeline initiates in northwest North Dakota, and trends southeast through South Dakota, Iowa and Illinois. In North and South Dakota, the Dakota Access pipeline crosses several parcels of private land where the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service has purchased wetland easements which are designed to provide waterfowl habitat. These wetland easements only regulate the manner in which specific, identified, isolated wetlands may be burned, drained, leveled, or filled. Wetland easements do not otherwise affect the private landowner’s right to use their property and when the wetlands are dry due to natural causes they can be farmed.

The Sand Lake NWR Complex, located in Columbia South Dakota, will serve as the Service’s lead in issuing a special use permit to allow temporary disturbance of the wetland easements and will ensure permit compliance during the construction phase.

Environmental Assessment (EA)

EA Appendix A

EA Appendix B

EA Appendix C

Environmental Action Statement

Finding of No Significant Impact