The Minnesota Public Utilities Commission (PUC) approved on Thursday a developer’s request to construct a petroleum pipeline that skirts Pipestone National Monument in southwestern Minnesota. The 4‑1 vote marks a significant step for Magellan Midstream Partners, whose original line through the monument was shut down in 2022 after the Department of the Interior refused to renew its right‑of‑way permit.
Background and tribal involvement
The pipeline, intended to run from Marshall, Minnesota, to Sioux Falls, South Dakota, has been the subject of a multi‑year dispute. Native American tribes with cultural ties to Pipestone—23 in total—have long defended the site’s sacred catlinite quarries. In 2023 Magellan applied to open a new route that would avoid the monument, and the PUC initially approved the plan in 2024.
Following tribal criticism, the commission rescinded that decision in 2025 and ordered additional cultural and archaeological surveys. Those surveys were slated to begin in April, and the commission now describes the latest approval as a “reset” of the relationship between the developer and tribal nations.
Survey controversy and tribal concerns
Tribal representatives at Thursday’s hearing questioned whether the promised coordination would be genuine. Franky Jackson, a compliance officer for the Prairie Island Indian Community, asked, “Are we going to go back to the tribes sitting at the table and come up with the appropriate methodology we can all agree on going forward? Or are we going to allow the applicant to set those standards for us?”
Critics also highlighted the selection of Burns & McDonnell as the survey contractor, which proceeded without prior approval from the Minnesota Indian Affairs Council (MIAC). The Lower Sioux Indian Community raised concerns that the survey methods were rushed and failed to fully document artifacts. The State Historic Preservation Office (SHPO) disputed the evaluation of 61 identified artifact sites, saying eligibility for the National Register remained unresolved for 58 of them.
Magellan’s response
Magellan’s parent company, Oneok, issued a statement asserting that the proposed work avoids all but two identified resources and follows established protocol. In a separate statement to the Sahan Journal, Oneok claimed the company had completed extensive cultural and archaeological field surveys, involving 19 tribal cultural specialists from six tribal nations alongside professional archaeologists.
Despite these assurances, the PUC has not yet received a separate cultural inventory from Magellan, and over 40 acres of the proposed routes remain unsurveyed.
Local reaction and broader context
Community members and activists gathered for a prayer ceremony outside the Ramsey County Government Center before the hearing. About 150 members of the public watched from overflow seating, while the main hearing room was largely closed to the public for security reasons.
Opponents, including Indigenous Environmental Network organizer Mark Tilsen, argue that the pipeline contradicts Minnesota’s climate goals and poses risks similar to the recent Enbridge Line 5 rupture in Wisconsin, which released more than 1.3 million gallons of liquid natural gas.
Supporters, however, emphasize the economic benefits of completing the pipeline, noting that the reroute avoids direct impact on the monument while still delivering essential energy infrastructure to the region.
What’s next?
The PUC’s order requires Magellan to continue coordinating with tribal nations and MIAC on any further cultural, archaeological, and historical inventories. The commission’s decision reflects a balance between respecting tribal heritage and advancing a critical energy project that serves both Minnesota and South Dakota.
Stakeholders will be watching closely as Magellan moves forward, with the expectation that the promised “reset” will result in more transparent and collaborative survey practices.
Original reporting: Sahan Journal — read the source article.
