Standing Rock Tribe sues to halt Dakota Access pipeline and revoke river easement

On Friday the Standing Rock Sioux Tribe lodged a fresh complaint in the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia against the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, the Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration and three senior officials, demanding the shutdown of the Dakota Access oil pipeline. The suit challenges the Corps’ May record of decision that granted an easement for the pipeline’s Missouri River crossing and contends that the December 2025 environmental impact statement does not resolve concerns over water safety, spill response, treaty obligations and the risk of increased capacity to 1.1 million barrels per day.

Tribal Chairman Steve Sitting Bear said the tribe will keep defending its water and treaty rights until the line is closed. The pipeline, operating since mid-2017, transports about 500,000-525,000 barrels daily from the Bakken field to Illinois, though the Corps considered a capacity of up to 1.1 million barrels. The tribe also seeks to void the federal safety agency’s approvals of spill-response plans and to block oil transport through the river segment until those plans meet legal standards. Prior lawsuits were dismissed or withdrawn, and related litigation continues involving Energy Transfer and environmental groups.