North Dakota judge finalizes $345 million judgement

accountable for its unlawful and damaging actions against us during the construction of the Dakota Access Pipeline." It added ​it was "analyzing possible next steps that we may choose to take to make sure they are held fully accountable." The Dakota Access project near the Standing Rock Indian Reservation began in 2016 and was completed in 2017. Construction of the ‌pipeline, which now transports roughly 40% of the oil produced in North Dakota's Bakken region, was met with fierce protests by environmental and tribal ⁠advocacy groups who said it ​would poison the local water supply and exacerbate climate change. Texas-based Energy Transfer first sued Greenpeace in a federal court in North Dakota in 2017, accusing it of ⁠spreading falsehoods about the ⁠project and paying protesters ⁠to disrupt construction. The North Dakota jury delivered its verdict in March, including damages for defamation, trespassing and conspiracy. Greenpeace countersued Energy Transfer i

n the Netherlands in February under a European ⁠law aimed at curbing lawsuits filed to harass or silence activists. That litigation ​is ongoing.