DAKOTA ACCESS PIPELINE DONATES $120,000 TO MAHASKA, WAPELLO, KEOKUK, JEFFERSON, VAN BUREN AND LEE COUNTIES FOR FIRST RESPONDERS
Representatives in attendance from Energy Transfer included: James Torbet, Sr. Project Director of Capital Projects; Butch Till, Manager of Dakota Access Pipeline Southern Operations; Matt Ryan, Operations Supervisor of Dakota Access Pipeline in Iowa & Illinois; and Lisa Coleman, Public Relations. (photo provided)
OTTUMWA, Iowa, October 16, 2019 – Dakota Access Pipeline, LLC is donating $20,000 to each Emergency Management Agency across Iowa in the counties through which the pipeline travels, totaling $240,000. With the aim of helping first responders, each county is encouraged to use the funds where they need it most. A check presentation was held this morning at the Wapello County Law Enforcement Center.
Dakota Access Pipeline is committed to being a good neighbor, a good business partner and a valued member of Iowa’s communities. Dakota Access will make similar donations to county emergency management agencies across its four-state route, totaling $1 million across 50 counties in North Dakota, South Dakota, Iowa and Illinois.
“We are excited to use this donation in multiple ways that will not only support our first responders but also our local school students, “ said Tim Richmond, EMA Coordinator for Wapello County. “The donation will be used to purchase weather station technology that can be used publically online and will enable us to partner with schools’ STEM programs. We will also purchase stream sensor technology for tributaries of the Des Moines River.”
“This donation will allow us to make plans to upgrades to the shelter at the Linda Whistler Memorial Training Center,” said Jamey A. Robinson, Emergency Manager for Mahaska County. “We will add an ADA-compliant bathroom, as well as heating and cooling.”
“We are pleased that Dakota Access Pipeline is interested in the needs of our public safety systems,” said Larry Smith, Director of Emergency Management for Keokuk County. “We plan to purchase new equipment for our EOC, including a new phone system and incident command supplies. We will upgrade some of our communications equipment for on-scene management capabilities, and purchase HAZMAT response supplies.”
“Jefferson County is very appreciative for this donation and is weighing multiple options for use of the funds,” said Brett Ferrel, EMA Coordinator. “We are considering upgrades to the communication tower and/or the communication dispatch center.”
Dave Drummond, EMA Coordinator for Van Buren said that the county plans to purchase multiple items including a drone, side scan sonar, stream gauges, and water rescue training. Lee County will use the donation to make upgrades to their EOC, according to EMA Director, Steve Cirinna.
Dakota Access Pipeline traverses approximately 111 miles through Mahaska, Wapello, Keokuk, Jefferson, Van Buren and Lee counties in Iowa. The company will also be donating to the Iowa 4-H Foundation and the Iowa FFA Foundation. It had made a similar donation of $1 million to county EMAs after the pipeline began service in 2017.
