An effort by the Standing Rock Sioux Tribe to stop the construction of the four-state Dakota Access oil pipeline was denied by a federal judge on Sept. 9, according to the Chicago Tribune.
U.S. District Judge James Boasberg ruled in favor of the Army Corps of Engineers, who granted permits at more than 200 water crossings for the Energy Transfer Partners’ $3.8 billion pipeline. The Standing Rock Sioux Tribe challenged the Army Corps of Engineers’ decision due to the pipeline threatening their water supplies and ancient sacred sites.
On Sept. 9, following the court decision, the U.S. Department of Justice, the U.S. Army, and the U.S. Department of the Interior issued a joint statement ordering suspension of the construction of the pipeline:
“The Army will not authorize constructing the Dakota Access pipeline on Corps land bordering or under Lake Oahe until it can determine whether it will need to reconsider any of its previous decisions regarding the Lake Oahe site under the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) or other federal laws. Therefore, construction of the pipeline on Army Corps land bordering or under Lake Oahe will not go forward at this time.”
On Sept. 4, during a protest in support of the Standing Rock Sioux Tribe, private security officers for Energy Transfer Partners were captured on video threatening to sic their guard dogs on protesters. Later, protesters claimed officers used pepper spray, and Democracy Now! released video of dogs with muzzles covered in blood.
In its statement the federal government also stated that it “fully support the rights of all Americans to assemble and speak freely:”
“In recent days, we have seen thousands of demonstrators come together peacefully, with support from scores of sovereign tribal governments, to exercise their First Amendment rights and to voice heartfelt concerns about the environment and historic, sacred sites. It is now incumbent on all of us to develop a path forward that serves the broadest public interest.”
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