A federal appeals court has ordered a temporary halt to construction of the $3.8 billion Bakken pipeline after protests turned violent in southern North Dakota. As reported by the Chicago Tribune, the three-judge panel of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit said that it needs more time to consider the emergency injunction.
Prior to this announcement, U.S. District Judge James Boasberg confirmed that the pipeline construction was lawful and rejected the Standing Rock Sioux Tribe’s request for a preliminary injunction to halt construction the construction of the 1,172 mile pipeline after months of protest. Immediately after, the Departments of Justice, Interior, and the Army issued a statement recommending that company building the Dakota Access pipeline halt the construction of the Dakota …show more content…
Protesters worry that the pipeline could leak or break and contaminate rivers and soil. Thousands have convened at a grassy camp near the Missouri and Cannonball rivers to protect sacred sites and the waterways. Some have referred to it as the largest gathering of Native Americans in a century.
A couple of weeks ago, according to NPR, the Morton County Sheriff’s Department said protesters marched from their encampment onto private lands where the pipeline is being constructed, and the crowd of protesters quickly turned violent, stampeding in with horses, dogs and vehicles. As The Associated Press reported, Donnell Preskey, the spokeswoman for Morton County Sheriff’s office said that four private security guards and two guard dogs were injured during the protest. Steve Sitting Bear, tribe spokesman said protesters reported that security dogs had bitten six people, and at least 30 people were pepper-sprayed. Preskey said the crowd dispersed when law enforcement arrived at the site and no one was
Prior to this announcement, U.S. District Judge James Boasberg confirmed that the pipeline construction was lawful and rejected the Standing Rock Sioux Tribe’s request for a preliminary injunction to halt construction the construction of the 1,172 mile pipeline after months of protest. Immediately after, the Departments of Justice, Interior, and the Army issued a statement recommending that company building the Dakota Access pipeline halt the construction of the Dakota …show more content…
Protesters worry that the pipeline could leak or break and contaminate rivers and soil. Thousands have convened at a grassy camp near the Missouri and Cannonball rivers to protect sacred sites and the waterways. Some have referred to it as the largest gathering of Native Americans in a century.
A couple of weeks ago, according to NPR, the Morton County Sheriff’s Department said protesters marched from their encampment onto private lands where the pipeline is being constructed, and the crowd of protesters quickly turned violent, stampeding in with horses, dogs and vehicles. As The Associated Press reported, Donnell Preskey, the spokeswoman for Morton County Sheriff’s office said that four private security guards and two guard dogs were injured during the protest. Steve Sitting Bear, tribe spokesman said protesters reported that security dogs had bitten six people, and at least 30 people were pepper-sprayed. Preskey said the crowd dispersed when law enforcement arrived at the site and no one was