The chairman of the Standing Rock Sioux Tribe says he was “disappointed” with a federal court ruling concerning a temporary restraining order the Tribe wanted against construction on the Dakota Access Pipeline.
After the company started working over the weekend on sites west of state highway 1806, the tribe went to court. It filed an emergency motion, asking that construction be halted until the judge would rule on an earlier motion. That motion would stop construction, pending a further environmental review.
The judge’s order says construction needs to stop for 20 miles east of 1806 – but construction can go on west of the highway.
"I'm disappointed, because I know more of our sacred sites are going to be destroyed," Tribal chairman Dave Archambault II told Bismarck reporters. "I'm okay with the fact that we know there's not going to be any construction near the camp on the east side of Highway 1806. I'm not happy with the ruling, however, because there's a lot of land being destroyed."
The judge has yet to rule on the earlier motion. That ruling is expected soon.