North Dakota
Federal judge agrees to toss $28M judgment related to Dakota Access Pipeline protests
BISMARCK (North Dakota Monitor) — A federal district court judge indicated he will nullify a nearly $28 million judgment against the federal government related to costs North Dakota incurred during the Dakota Access Pipeline protests so the parties can reach a settlement.
North Dakota is still set to receive a payment Attorney General Drew Wrigley described as satisfactory, but attorneys would not disclose the amount during a Friday hearing.
Attorneys for the United States and North Dakota said the settlement would allow the parties to avoid litigating the case in appeals court,putting the nearly seven-year-old lawsuit to rest.
“We’re hoping we really don’t need to fight any further,” Department of Justice attorney Jonathan Guynn said during the hearing.
The lawsuit, filed in 2019, concerns demonstrations against the construction of the crude oil pipeline, also known as DAPL, that took place in rural south-central North Dakota in 2016 and 2017.
North Dakota claims the federal government caused the protests to grow in size and intensity by unlawfully allowing demonstrators to camp on federal land. The state says it had to pay millions of dollars on policing and cleaning up the encampments as a result. The United States denies the state’s allegations.
North Dakota U.S. District Court Judge Daniel Traynor in April 2025 sided with the state and ordered the executive branch to pay North Dakota the $28 million sum, a decision the U.S. Department of Justice later appealed to the 8th Circuit.
If the settlement moves forward, North Dakota would receive a “substantial monetary payment” from the United States, attorneys said Friday. As a condition of the agreement, the Department of Justice wants Traynor’s judgment and three other orders in which he ruled against the United States to be voided. That includes the court’s 120-page ruling from April 2025.
Both parties said Friday that having the rulings nullified wouldn’t have a significant negative impact on the public, since the documents could still be cited even if they no longer hold the weight of court orders.
At the same time, Guynn said the Department of Justice wants the orders vacated because it doesn’t want the legal conclusions Traynor made to influence the outcome of future lawsuits.
“The downstream consequences of keeping these on the books is troublesome for the United States,” he said during the hearing. If Traynor does not agree to axe the rulings, the United States would likely no longer be willing to settle and move forward with its appeal instead, Guynn added.
Traynor’s orders make findings about the federal government’s responsibility under the Federal Tort Claims Act — the law North Dakota filed the suit under — which the state noted previously in court filings “could have utility holding the federal government to account” in the future.
Still, attorneys for the state said they believe this trade-off is outweighed by the time and money the public would save by not going through the appeals process. North Dakota would also avoid the risk of having Traynor’s judgment overturned by higher courts.
Wrigley said the settlement will be made public once it’s finalized.
The United States’ appeal of Traynor’s decision has been on hold since last summer, when the state and federal government informed the 8th Circuit Court of Appeals they had started settlement negotiations and wished to pause the case.
The 8th Circuit will have to first send the case back to Traynor before he could grant the parties’ requests.
The case went to trial in Bismarck in early 2024. During the four-week trial, the court heard from witnesses including former governors Doug Burgum and Jack Dalrymple, Native activists, federal officials and law enforcement.
The Dakota Access Pipeline carries crude oil from northwest North Dakota to Illinois. It crosses the Missouri River just north of the Standing Rock Sioux Reservation, which prompted the tribe to begin protesting the pipeline on the grounds that it poses a threat to its water supply and sovereignty.
North Dakota’s lawsuit originally requested $38 million in damages from the federal government. Traynor ordered the executive branch to pay $28 million since the U.S. Department of Justice previously gave the state $10 million as compensation for costs it spent related to the protests.
Funeral Mass for Delia “Dee” Sianghio, 91, of Dickinson, will be 10:00 am, Tuesday, June 23, 2026 at Queen of Peace Catholic Church, Dickinson, with Father Ryan Martire celebrating. Burial will follow at St. Wenceslaus Cemetery.
Visitation for Dee will be 5:00 – 7:00 pm, Monday, June 22, 2026 at Stevenson Funeral Home, Dickinson, with rosary and vigil taking place at 6:00 pm. Dee passed away Wednesday, June 17, 2026 at her home. Delia was born on September 5, 1934 in Zambales, Philippines to Dr. Aqualino and Solita (Ortin) Edaño. The eldest of 5 children, Delia graduated college in 1958 from University of Santo Tomas, Manila, Philippines with a Bachelor of Science in Pharmacy. Delia met Dr. Gregorio L. Sianghio and married in 1960, having 3 children, Leyden, Homer and Lourdes. The family embarked on a great adventure and emigrated to the United States in 1971, ultimately settling in Dickinson, ND, where Dr. Gregorio practiced in Anesthesiology at St. Joseph Hospital. Much to Delia’s dismay, she experienced extreme cold, blizzards, and having to travel to West Fargo, ND for authentic Philippine ingredients for traditional food. Delia was an avid reader, history buff, and enjoyed crocheting and knitting. After her husband died in 1985, she became an active volunteer at St. Luke’s Nursing Home in Dickinson and enjoyed exercising to step-aerobics. Delia is survived by daughter Dr. Leyden Sianghio-Reamer (Joe Reamer), Boerne, TX; son Homer Siañghio (Cindy M. Steiner-Siañghio), Kent, WA; and daughter Lourdes E. Sianghio, TX/ND; 6 grandchildren and 5 great-grandchildren. Delia is preceded in death by her parents, Dr. Aqualino and Solita Edaño of Zambales, Philippines; husband Dr. Gregorio Sianghio of Dickinson, ND; sisters Aqualina and Susan; and brothers Aqualino Jr. and Lino, all from Zambales, Philippines. Remembrances and condolences can be shared at www.stevensonfuneralhome.com.
BISMARCK — The public is invited to the opening of the State Historical Society of North Dakota’s new exhibit, “North Dakota 250 Road Trip: Our American Story,” with a ribbon-cutting ceremony at 9 a.m. on Wednesday, July 1, at the North Dakota Heritage Center & State Museum in Bismarck.
Following the ribbon-cutting ceremony, visitors can enjoy light refreshments, live music by Mythtickle, face painting, Scouting America Pinewood Derby races and opportunities to visit with agency curators, archivists and community partners until 1 p.m.
Developed as part of the America250 commemoration, the free exhibit explores North Dakota’s significant role in the American story through themes of travel, migration, innovation, and community. Visitors can explore highlights of how North Dakota has influenced the nation and how the nation has shaped us, beginning with stories dating back to the 1770s from tribal nations.
“We designed this exhibit as a road trip through North Dakota’s past, present, and future,” Exhibitions Manager David Newell said. “We are encouraging people to discover new stories and explore places they haven’t visited yet.”
Visitors can plan their own road trips, contribute to the state’s story on a kiosk, research longtime owners of Centennial Farms and learn how to explore your roots.
“This exhibit is an American story, a North Dakota story, and a personal story,” Audience Engagement & Museums Director Kimberly Jondahl said. “We invite people to dive into their own family histories using State Archives resources in the genealogy area. Do you know where your own people were in 1776?”
These programs are part of the ND250 commemoration celebrating our country’s 250th birthday.
The North Dakota Heritage Center & State Museum, located at 612 E. Boulevard Ave. in Bismarck, is open Monday-Friday, 8 a.m.-5 p.m., and Saturday-Sunday, 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Admission is free.
BURLINGTON — A Tioga woman was seriously injured in a two-vehicle crash one mile west of Burlington in Ward County on Sunday afternoon.
According to the North Dakota Highway Patrol, the woman was traveling west on U.S. Highway 2 at approximately 2:29 p.m. when an eastbound 2020 Subaru Forester, driven by an 84-year-old Burlington man, crossed the median and entered the westbound lanes, striking her vehicle head-on.
The Burlington man died at the scene. The Tioga woman suffered serious injuries and was airlifted to a Minot hospital. Both drivers were wearing seat belts, the Highway Patrol said.
The crash remains under investigation.
Our newsroom occasionally reports stories under a byline of “staff.” Often, the “staff” byline is used when rewriting basic news briefs that originate from official sources, such as a city press release about a road closure, and which require little or no reporting. At times, this byline is used when a news story includes numerous authors or when the story is formed by aggregating previously reported news from various sources. If outside sources are used, it is noted within the story.
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