State archaeologist to visit pipeline site where tribe says sacred sites were destroyed

BISMARCK — North Dakota's Historic Preservation Office plans to look into whether bulldozers clearing a path last Saturday for the Dakota Access Pipeline destroyed burial grounds and other sacred sites identified the day before in a court filing by the Standing Rock Sioux Tribe, an official said Wednesday.

"We're currently evaluating the situation and intend to visit when arrangements are made," Chief Archaeologist Paul Picha told Forum News Service.

The State Historic Preservation Office issued a "no significant sites affected" determination in February on the North Dakota segment of the pipeline, concurring with the findings of three cultural resource consulting firms hired by Dallas-based Energy Transfer Partners LP, the developer of the four-state, 1,172-mile project.

http://www.grandforksherald.com/news/4110312-state-archaeologist-visit-pipeline-site-where-tribe-says-sacred-sites-were-destroyed