The US Army Corps of Engineers has granted a permit to ConocoPhillips Alaska that will give the company access to the National Petroleum Reserve-Alaska.
The Corps on Monday announced it was granting the permit to cross the Colville River on Alaska’s North Slope.
The Corps in February 2010 denied a permit for a bridge and said a buried pipe would be less environmentally damaging.
ConocoPhillips appealed and the Corps sought a review of the proposal by the Environmental Protection Agency and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service.
The agencies two weeks ago signed off on bridge crossings if mitigation measures were met.
The Corps announcement says the permit authorizes construction of a drill pad, an access road, and four bridge crossings and new pipeline support structures.
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