04.23.25

Hoeven: North Dakota Awarded Nearly $28 Million Over Damages Resulting from DAPL Protests

Lawsuit Ruling Comes in Addition to $10 Million Senator Secured to Reimburse the State

BISMARCK, N.D. – Senator John Hoeven today issued the following statement after U.S. District Judge Daniel Traynor ruled in favor of the State of North Dakota in its lawsuit against the federal government for damages from the Dakota Access Pipeline (DAPL) protests. The state was awarded nearly $28 million to help cover emergency response costs resulting from the federal government’s negligence during the protests. This comes in addition to the $10 million that Hoeven secured in 2017 as a member of the Senate Appropriations Committee to help reimburse the state.

“The federal government, through its negligence, allowed lawlessness to take hold on Army Corps land, resulting in months of disruption to local residents’ lives, threats to their safety and significant costs to the state,” said Hoeven. “We commend Attorney General Drew Wrigley and his team for securing today’s verdict, which recognizes the harm resulting from the Obama administration’s refusal to enforce the law and police illegal activity during the DAPL protests. This nearly $28 million award is about accountability for federal officials and, when combined with the $10 million we previously secured, making the State of North Dakota whole again.”

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