North Dakota Secures Final $27.8M Federal Payment for DAPL Protest Costs
The Trump administration settlement brings the state's total recovery to nearly $38 million for expenses incurred during the 2016-17 pipeline protests.
North Dakota has secured a final $27.8 million payment from the federal government to cover costs from the Dakota Access Pipeline (DAPL) protests, according to an announcement by state Attorney General Drew Wrigley. Combined with a previous $10 million payment, the state's total recovery now amounts to nearly $38 million.
The settlement resolves a long-running lawsuit where North Dakota sought reimbursement for law enforcement, emergency response, and cleanup costs stemming from the massive demonstrations near the Standing Rock Sioux Reservation. The protests, which drew international attention, opposed the pipeline's construction over concerns it threatened tribal water supplies and sacred sites.
State officials argued that North Dakota taxpayers should not bear the financial burden of the response. According to state data cited in the report, the emergency response lasted more than 230 days and involved 178 agencies from multiple counties. Authorities made 761 arrests during the protests, 709 of which involved individuals from outside North Dakota.
The protests began on April 1, 2016, with the establishment of the Sacred Stone Camp. The movement grew into one of the largest Indigenous-led actions in modern history. In December 2016, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers initially denied a key easement for the pipeline to cross under Lake Oahe. That decision was reversed after President Donald Trump took office and directed the Corps to expedite the project. Remaining protest camps were cleared by late February 2017.
Attorney General Wrigley credited the work of his office and former Attorney General Wayne Stenehjem, who pursued the reimbursement before his death in 2022. The settlement represents the conclusion of the state's financial claim related to the nearly 10-month event.
For Bakken operators and the state's oil industry, the DAPL pipeline remains a critical piece of infrastructure. The pipeline transports crude oil from the Bakken formation in North Dakota to Illinois. Despite the intense opposition, it was completed and entered service in 2017 and has continued operating since.
The financial recovery closes a significant chapter of fiscal impact from the protests for North Dakota. The state's successful reimbursement claim underscores the substantial public resources deployed during the period of civil disobedience focused on a key Bakken export route.
Source
Bing News
