Philadelphia, PA (KICD/RI) — The company that built the Dakota Access oil pipeline that runs diagonally across Iowa is making donations to emergency responders in every county the pipeline crosses in Iowa and three other states.

Mike Futch, vice president of Energy Transfer Partners, explains the motive.

Northwest Iowa counties that received the checks included Lyon, Sioux, O’Brien, Cherokee, Buena Vista, and Sac Counties The pipeline crosses 18 counties in Iowa and also carves a path across Illinois and North and South Dakota.
In Iowa, the total donation is $360,000 to units in 18 counties. The total donation in the four states adds up to one-million dollars as the pipeline covers 50 counties. Chuck Fry, vice president for liquid pipelines at Energy Transfer, says the pipeline passing through Iowa is now fully assembled and carrying petroleum.

The company is also giving the state of North Dakota 15-million dollars for protest-related expenses.