Dakota Access Protest Dealt Legal Setback

The Associated Press has been updating news regarding the Dakota Access pipeline protest throughout the day (September 9, 2016) after a federal judge denied a request for a temporary halt to construction on the project.

A few days earlier in the week, the news had a different tone, after the same judge "granted part of the [Standing Rock Sioux Tribe's] emergency request to halt construction of a section of oil pipeline in North Dakota," according to an article by Merrit Kennedy. Lauren Donovan provides additional reporting about the week's previous ruling, which was framed as a mixed victory for both sides of the debate.

Friday's ruling responded to a lawsuit filed in July by Attorney Jan Hasselman of Earthjustice on behalf of the tribe. The lawsuit challenged permits issued by the Army Corps of Engineers for Dallas-based Energy Transfer Partners to construct the pipeline. Hasselman has promised to challenge the ruling.