A federal judge has ordered the Dakota Access Pipeline to shut down, pending an environmental review.
Judge James Boasberg had earlier ordered the Army Corps of Engineers to do a full Environmental Impact Statement on the $3.8 billion, 1100 mile pipeline. The Corps had done an “Environmental Assessment,” a rung lower than a full EIS.
The ruling says the pipeline must be shut down and emptied of oil by August 5th.
The pipeline carries 570,000 barrels of Bakken crude per day. A project is pending that would have doubled its capacity.
North Dakota Petroleum Council President Ron Ness said he was “shocked” by the ruling.
"We've developed a pipeline here that gets our oil to market efficiently, safely and economically, which gives us a better return on that barrel of Bakken oil," Ness said. "That ultimately generates more investment in the Bakken."
Bismarck Attorney Timothy Purdon represented the Standing Rock tribe in connection with DAPL issues, especially the proposed expansion of the pipeline. He said North Dakotans shouldn’t be surprised by the judge’s ruling.
"The arguments the tribe has put forward about the failure to conduct a full and thorough environmental impact study has been a strong one for a long time," Purdon said. "While this might seem a bit of a shock, the handwriting has been on the wall for some time."
Ness said he expects Energy Transfer Partners will appeal. He said he doesn’t think Boasberg has the authority to shut the pipeline down.
"I suspect there are a lot of rail facilities being un-mothballed right now, because the judge is basically saying, 'We'd rather have that oil travel across the country in a train."
North Dakota Sen. Kevin Cramer (R) said the judge's order is "not good for energy security or national security."
"This is a major decision, that if allowed to stand, would be devastating to North Dakota's oil industry," Cramer said.
Standing Rock Tribal Chairman Mike Faith said it is a "good day for Standing Rock and all the people that supported us here."
(KFGO Radio contributed to the story.)
