Another section of Dakota Access construction is halted

The Standing Rock Sioux tribe has been protesting to block the Dakota Access pipeline. The US$3.8 billion, 1172 mile project would carry nearly 500 000 bpd of crude oil from North Dakota's oil fields, through South Dakota and Iowa, to an existing pipeline in Patoka, Illinois, where shippers can access Midwest and Gulf Coast markets.

With extensive protest both from the tribe and around the world, a federal appeals court has ordered Dakota Access LLC to halt construction in another section of the pipeline in North Dakota. This recent ruling comes after US District Judge, James Boasberg, rejected the Standing Rock Sioux request for a preliminary injunction to halt construction of the pipeline, which led the tribe to seek an emergency injunction.

A panel of three judges stated that it needs more time to consider the Standing Rock Sioux Tribe's request for an emergency injunction in the recent ruling. The Court will issue another order, which it said: "should not be construed in any way as a ruling on the merits of that motion."

This ruling has halted construction in a radius of 20 miles of Lake Oahe and follows the federal government’s order to halt to construction on US Army Corps of Engineers land around the lake on 9 September.

The corps has also issued a ruling that grants the tribes a temporary permit to allow them to legally protest on federal lands that are managed by the agency. In return, the tribe must be held responsible for the maintenance, damage and restoration costs, the security and safety of protesters and liability insurance.

Edited from various sources by Anna Nicklin

Read the article online at: https://www.worldpipelines.com/project-news/19092016/another-section-of-dakota-access-construction-is-halted/