Dakota Access pipeline decision unlikely until early 2017

From today's Midwest Energy News headlines:

PIPELINES: A federal judge likely won’t decide until early next year whether to give the Dakota Access pipeline developer permission to build a contentious portion of the project. (Associated Press)

Also, re: OIL & GAS:

• Oil production in North Dakota continues to drop. (Bismarck Tribune)

• North Dakota’s top oil and gas regulator and the head of the pipeline authority are confident they will remain in their posts under a new governors’ administration. (Bismark Tribune)