Supervisors hear Dakota Access Pipeline update

As work continues on the land used for the Dakota Access Pipeline, the Jasper County Board of Supervisors was given an update Tuesday on project activity in the county. ISG Project Manager Evan Del Val gave a county environmental inspection update detailing work being completed throughout the county.

“Our crews are in the state. They are working up and down the spread, we are there with them doing the inspections like we did all last year,” Del Val said. “We have a pretty substantial punch list that we go through, documenting what still needs to be done. To date, a lot of it is tiling work, issues that have come up with the rain. We are making sure that all of the farmers’ land is being put back to where it was.”

Del Val said work started back up in March and his crews have been on hand at any location that work is being done. He said there are less people out working, mainly because the amount of substantial work has decreased, but if a tiling crew is in the field, they will have an inspector with them.

Supervisor Joe Brock said the biggest problem that has been shared with him is pooling water on the top of the hills. Del Val said any land owner that is having issues can contact ISG to voice their concerns and find a solution.

“We are a good resource for land owners to call and get information,” Del Val said.

He said the process at this point is land owners can either can go with Dakota Access’s tile crews coming through and doing the work or contract out the work and get refunded.

“They are little undermanned at this point, so I know some of the land owners are a little frustrated,” Del Val said. “There is also the option for the land owner to contract with the preferred tile contractors, likely the people who put it in to begin with. In order to do that, Dakota Access is requesting a quote for the work and then they will pay it directly if it is approved.”

Jasper County Engineer Russ Stutt said his experience working with the crews has been good, and he is happy with the work they have completed.

“We are waiting on quotes for a couple of areas where our pavement was damaged and a list of rock that we are going to send that we put down as a part of their project,” Stutt said. “I thought they did really good on erosion control and when they went across some of our drainage districts they made sure we were OK with the slopes.”

Overall, Brock said the reports he has received from those affected by the pipeline have been positive.

“We’re really the advocates of the land owners out there,” Del Val said.

The Dakota Access Pipeline runs 34 miles through Jasper County. To contact ISG with any questions or concerns call 515-796-0499.

Contact Jamee A. Pierson at 641-792-3121 ext. 6534 or jpierson@newtondailynews.com