#NoDAPL

Army Corps of Engineers Halts Dakota Access Pipeline

Rejects permit, will conduct environmental study.

The Army Corps of Engineers has told the Oceti tribe that it will halt work on the controversial Dakota Access Pipeline in order to conduct an environmental-impact study and shot down a permit for an easement on the property, the Standing Rock Sioux Tribe announced. In a statement, the tribe said it “wholeheartedly support[s]” the government’s decision, and thanked President Obama and the Justice Department. “We thank the millions of people around the globe who expressed support for our cause,” the statement reads. “We thank the thousands of people who came to the camps to support us, and the tens of thousands who donated time, talent, and money to our efforts to stand against this pipeline in the name of protecting our water.”

Protesters have been camped out at the site in North Dakota for months to demonstrate against the $3.8 billion project, arguing it will destroy the environment and taint the drinking water used by the Standing Rock Sioux tribe. As protesters have vowed to stay put, clashes with police have intensified in recent days. The Army Corps is seeking an alternative route for the project.