After months of protests by the Standing Rock Sioux and other Native Americans, a federal judge denied the tribe’s request to stop construction of the four-state, $3.8 billion Dakota Access pipeline.
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“It’s disappointing that a federal court declined to halt construction of the Dakota Access Pipeline, which may have severe negative impacts on the Standing Rock Sioux’s main water source, ancient burial sites and other sacred areas”, Baker said.
In July 2016, the Standing Rock Sioux tribe filed a complaint in federal court, claiming the proposed pipeline “threatens the Tribe’s environmental and economic well-being, and would damage and destroy sites of great historic, religious, and cultural significance to the Tribe”.
Judge James Boasberg ruled Friday that “the Corps has likely complied with the NHPA and that the Tribe has not shown it will suffer injury that would be prevented by any injunction the Court could issue”.
But then the devastation turned to jubilation thanks to a surprise statement from federal officials announcing they would not authorize construction of the Dakota Access pipeline on Army Corps of Engineers land bordering and under Lake Oahe until they reassess previous decisions. The Corps requested that the pipeline company voluntarily pause all construction within 20 miles east or west of Lake Oahe. “And we’re going to make this stand for all water and all life”, Mitchell said at the start of the event, drawing cheers.
“This protest that has come up, I think it is unfortunate”.
Tribal chairman Dave Archambault II said, “Our hearts are full”.
The North Dakota National Guard continues to be in a support role at an information checkpoint on State Highway 1806, with a couple dozen guard members rotating to fill those shifts, said Guard spokeswoman Amber Balken.
With thousands of Native Americans recently protesting against the 1172 mile Dakota Access oil pipeline, the United States government has stepped in to aid attempts to resolve ongoing disputes. The 82-year-old says he was not surprised by the ruling, “but it still hurts”. They said some National Guard members will work security at traffic checkpoints and another 100 would be on standby.
In this Community Voices video, protesters gather at US Bank Plaza to call for a stop to the Dakota Access Pipeline.
This fall, federal agencies are inviting sovereign tribal nations across the country to provide input on how to ensure meaningful communication with the tribes about future infrastructure-related decisions.
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On Thursday, North Dakotas archaeologist said that piece of private land was not previously surveyed by the state would be surveyed next week and that if artifacts are found, pipeline work still could cease. The company said the pipeline would include safeguards such as leak detection equipment; workers monitoring the pipeline remotely in Texas could close valves within three minutes if a breach is detected. A status conference is scheduled for September 16. Rep. Raúl Grijalva (D-Ariz.) traveled to North Dakota yesterday to meet with Archambault, the tribal chairman, and tour the protesters’ encampment.
