North Dakota seeks to void $28M pipeline protest judgment as settlement talks continue

Attorneys for North Dakota and the United States have asked a federal judge to void a nearly $28 million judgment against the federal government related to the Dakota Access Pipeline protests so the parties can pursue a settlement instead, according to reporting by the North Dakota Monitor.

North Dakota U.S. District Court Judge Daniel Traynor ruled in April 2025 that the executive branch must pay the state $28 million over costs tied to demonstrations against the Dakota Access Pipeline in 2016 and 2017. The U.S. Department of Justice appealed the decision in June. According to court records cited by the North Dakota Monitor, the state and federal government have reached a tentative settlement in which North Dakota would receive a “substantial monetary payment” and the federal government would drop its appeal. The agreement would also require Traynor to nullify the $28 million judgment and several related rulings. Attorney General Drew Wrigley said in a Thursday statement he could not provide additional details about the tentative agreement.