Native Issues
Legal ruling
Mar 31, 2025

Judge dismisses Standing Rock Sioux Tribe’s lawsuit over Dakota Access Pipeline


March 31, 2025

A D.C. federal judge dismissed the Standing Rock Sioux Tribe’s lawsuit seeking to shut down the Dakota Access Pipeline, ruling the case was filed too soon and lacked a clear request for relief. While the tribe has fought the pipeline’s operation for years, the judge determined it must wait until the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers completes its court-ordered environmental review. The decision prolongs the tribe’s legal battle, leaving the pipeline operational for now.

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