EPA Grants A Critical Permit for New Refinery on the Reservation -- Bakken, North Dakota, USA

Updates

August 16, 2011: human interest story on refinery. Indian Country Media Network. If and when the refinery breaks ground, what a great photo op with President Obama!

Original Post

Link here.

Sen. John Hoeven, R-N.D., announced Thursday a proposed oil refinery on the Fort Berthold Reservation has received approval for a key permit from the Environmental Protection Agency.

Data points:

• If built, 1,000 jobs during the two-year construction phase
• Once completed, 65 full-time jobs
• Capacity: be able to process up to 15,000 bbls of oil from the Bakken
• Location: near Makoti

Comment: one of many permits needed; and we haven't even started talking about lawsuits from the Sierra Club. 

A federal district court dismissed a lawsuit by the Sierra Club and other environmental organizations aimed at preventing the US Department of Defense from buying fuels made from Canadian bitumen and heavy oil.

The judge said plaintiffs had legal standing as injured parties based on the effects of climate change but ruled they didn’t show harm from pipeline movements or refining of crude from Canadian oil sands or from DOD purchases of related products.

I wouldn't hold my breath on this one.