US halts N. Dakota pipeline near tribal lands
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WASHINGTON- The US government moved on Friday to temporarily halt an oil pipeline in North Dakota that has angered Native Americans, blocking construction on federal land and asking the company behind the project to suspend work nearby.
The move came shortly after US District Judge James Boasberg in Washington rejected a request from Native Americans for a court order to block the project. The government's action reflected the success of growing protests over the proposed $3.7 billion pipeline crossing four states which has sparked a renewal of Native American activism.
"This case has highlighted the need for a serious discussion on whether there should be nationwide reform with respect to considering tribes' views on these types of infrastructure projects," the US Departments of Justice, Army and Interior said in a joint statement released minutes after Boasberg's ruling.
