Latest in the yearslong fight over the fate of the Dakota Access pipeline — DC Circuit today agreed with the district judge that the easement granted under Trump was unlawful, but won't order the pipeline shut down while an enviro. impact study is done cadc.uscourts.gov/internet/opini… 
The district judge ordered the pipeline emptied/shut down pending an enviro. impact statement, and the DC Circuit prev. paused that when the case came up on appeal last year. Today, the panel held the judge didn't go through all the steps needed to issue that kind of injunction
The decision leaves open the possibility of shutting down the pipeline in the future, but it won't happen now. Either/both sides could now petition the en banc DC Circuit to reconsider today's ruling, and this could be on track for a SCOTUS petition
tldr: The Dakota Access pipeline remains operational. But a court ruled the Army Corps under Trump violated federal law when it granted the company an easement to build through federal land without doing an evironmental impact study first, given oppo from Native American tribes
• • •
Missing some Tweet in this thread? You can try to
force a refresh
