Court documents say the defendants have “engaged in increasingly obstructionist and risky behavior” to prevent Dakota Access construction.
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The Dakota Access Pipeline will take crude oil from northwest North Dakota to refineries in IL.
Clifford is from the Oglala Sioux tribe in South Dakota, but he says there are many opposed to the pipeline much farther away.
Despite this and the months of protests from the Standing Rock Sioux Tribe, Dakota Access LLC plans to move forward, complaining that protesters caused the company “to lose goodwill among its customers” and diminished its “opportunity to complete construction of the pipeline’s water crossing before its permits expire”.
Vicki Granado, a spokeswoman for Energy Transfer Partners, confirmed the lawsuit was filed in federal court Monday.
“We have taken the steps necessary to protect our workers and those who live in the area, which is our top priority”, Granado said.
The Standing Rock Sioux Tribe are anxious that the 1,100+ miles-long pipeline is created to cross many lakes and rivers – including Lake Oahe and the Missouri River – and may pollute their drinking water and disturb sacred sites and burial grounds. Troopers say motorists should use an alternate route, such as state Highway 6. That’s when activity stepped up at the Sacred Stone Spiritual Camp on Standing Rock tribal member LaDonna Allard’s land along the banks of the Missouri River near Cannon Ball, where they have been since April.
Archambault’s arrest was caught on video, below.
Archambault and more than a dozen others were arrested on Thursday August 11 as they blocked the approach to the site, where pipeline workers were offloading heavy equipment.
They also argue they were not properly consulted before the US Army Corps of Engineers approved the project in late July.
“What little we have left is under attack”, Archambault said.
Among those arrested was David Archambault II, the leader of the Standing Rock Sioux Tribe, who was released after a day in custody.
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The pipeline will transport up to 570,000 barrels of crude oil a day, stretching 1,172 miles (1886km).
