Home Local News JUDGE RULES IN FAVOR OF DAKOTA ACCESS PIPELINE

JUDGE RULES IN FAVOR OF DAKOTA ACCESS PIPELINE

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A federal judge has dismissed a lawsuit filed by twenty-one North Dakota landowners who alleged the developer of the Dakota Access oil pipeline and a consultant used deceit and fraud to acquire land easements.

Judge Daniel Hovland sided with Texas-based Energy Transfer Partners and Contract Land Staff, saying the landowners didn’t adequately prove their claims.

The landowners were seeking more than $4 million in damages for what they called “misrepresentations, deception or other unfair tactics.”

Hovland said it’s impossible to know whether they might have received a better deal under other circumstances.

An Iowa case filed by landowners and an environmental group is on appeal to that state’s Supreme Court, with arguments expected early next year.

That dispute is over the use of eminent domain for the pipeline project.