Energy Transfer, Greenpeace Clash in Dutch Court Over DAPL Judgment
The environmental group is using EU anti-SLAPP laws to fight a $345 million North Dakota verdict, a case with implications for pipeline operator litigation.
A legal battle stemming from a North Dakota court ruling has moved to a courtroom in the Netherlands. Energy Transfer and Greenpeace International faced off in a Dutch court on Thursday, April 16, according to a KFYR report.
The core of the dispute is a $345 million judgment against Greenpeace, awarded by a North Dakota jury in 2025. Greenpeace is now asking the Dutch court to void that judgment. The organization argues the North Dakota trial was a Strategic Lawsuit Against Public Participation (SLAPP), intended to silence critics of the Dakota Access Pipeline (DAPL) through costly litigation.
Greenpeace is invoking European Union and Dutch anti-SLAPP legislation in its defense. The case will test whether a European court can shield an entity from litigation and judgments originating in the United States. A ruling from the Dutch court is expected in early June.
For Bakken operators and infrastructure developers, the Dutch proceeding represents a novel front in legal and public relations challenges. The Dakota Access Pipeline is a critical conduit for moving North Dakota crude oil to market, and legal actions targeting its operator can create regulatory and financial uncertainty.
Energy Transfer, in its court filings, has countered that the North Dakota case was centered on defamation and illegal activities that caused financial harm, not on suppressing criticism. The pipeline operator has previously secured significant legal victories in U.S. courts related to protest activities.
The outcome of the Dutch case could influence how international non-governmental organizations engage in opposition to U.S. energy projects. A ruling in favor of Greenpeace might encourage similar legal challenges abroad against U.S. court decisions, potentially complicating enforcement for companies like Energy Transfer.
Conversely, a ruling upholding the North Dakota judgment would reinforce the finality of U.S. court rulings for pipeline operators. It would affirm that judgments for damages related to protest activities can be pursued internationally.
Greenpeace is also seeking to recover all costs and damages from its various legal battles with Energy Transfer. The DAPL, which runs from the Bakken formation in North Dakota to a hub in Illinois, remains a focal point for environmental activism and legal disputes years after its completion.
Source
KFYR
