On Sunday, December 4, a civilian leader in the Army made denied an easement to the Dakota Access pipeline despite recommendations from the Army Corps of Engineers that it be granted. Due to the pipeline's size, which is 30 inches in diameter, its approval was sent to Assistant Secretary of the Army for Civil Works Jo-Ellen Darcy, who on behalf of the Department of the Army denied an easement for the pipeline to pass under Lake Oahe. According to Darcy, more work needs to be done in looking for an alternate route, despite the Corps having comported with all the legal requirements. However, "she was unable to give any legal reasons for the decision and could not answer any questions about rerouting the pipeline".1 President Barack Obama appointed Darcy to be Assistant Secretary of the Army (Civil Works) in August of 2009.2