This is big news. We heard yesterday that the official filing for the “Notice of Intent” was being considered, and today Energy Transfer Partners (the owners of the Dakota Access Pipeline) is in court trying to stop the Environmental Impact Statement investigation from proceeding. Among the things ETP wanted was for the Army Corps of Engineers to not officially publish the document in the Federal Register. We don’t know the outcome of the court hearing yet, but the official publication has happened. This is a significant victory in the struggle to stop the DAPL.

Rule of law? Yeah, right. Feds Admit They Withheld Key Documents from Standing Rock Sioux.

The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers purposefully withheld key studies that could have helped the tribe evaluate the risks [of the DAPL]. One report modeled damage from potential spills; another weighed the likelihood of spills; a third compared alternative routes and discussed the environmental justice concerns raised by the project. The revelation highlights the federal government’s perception of its limited responsibility to consult with tribes even on matters that could threaten its welfare.

It looks like the Army Corps of Engineers has denied permission to Energy Transfer Partners to drill under Lake Oahe.

I have seen confirmation from Dallas Goldtooth of the Indigenous Environmental Network, and David Archambault, the chairman of the Standing Rock Sioux, has issued a statement (I'm looking for the exact text). Text is below i comments in two parts