North Dakota
North Dakota wins $28M court case against federal government over pipeline protests
FARGO — The state of North Dakota has won its case against the federal government.
A federal judge has ruled in favor of North Dakota, according to a court ruling released on Wednesday, April 23, and ordered the United States to pay nearly $28 million in damages stemming from law enforcement actions during the Dakota Access Pipeline protests in 2016 and 2017.
Stephanie Keith / Reuters
From 2016 to 2017, thousands of people gathered along the Missouri River in Morton County, N.D., close to where the pipeline crosses under the river just north of the Stranding Rock Reservation.
The protests were started by the Standing Rock Sioux Tribe in response to pollution threats to the tribe’s water supply, the imposition onto Indigenous land and the disruption to cultural sites.
This marks the “first time in history” that a court has ruled in favor of a state against the federal government in trial, according to a release from U.S. Sen. Kevin Cramer, R-N.D.
“This ruling is a colossal win for the North Dakota taxpayers who were forced to bear the cost of our federal government’s abdication of its duties during the Dakota Access Pipeline protests,” Cramer said. “Even before neglecting their responsibilities, our government literally facilitated the violence. This $27.8 million judgment is a win for the rule of law, for sure, and it’s a win for the Constitution of the United States. It’s the result of nearly a decade of hard work from North Dakota’s Attorney General’s office and I really thank them for their efforts!”
Forum News Service file photo
The lawsuit came about when the state of North Dakota sought financial recompense from the federal government in the wake of costs incurred by the state during the protests. The trial took place in Bismarck starting in February 2024 and lasted for several weeks. The state of North Dakota said the protests led to $38 million in expenses, according to reporting by the North Dakota Monitor.
U.S. District Court Judge Daniel Traynor decided in favor of the state, according to the ruling, and specifically noted that the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers contributed to the costs for the state of North Dakota.
“The Corps’ negligent actions and inactions created a public nuisance in North Dakota, enabling countless instances of civil trespass to occur during the Protests, subjecting the United States (through the Corps and the actions of other agencies) to liability under North Dakota tort law and exacerbating the harms that were visited upon North Dakota,” the ruling states.
This money will go a long way to make “the state of North Dakota whole again,” U.S. Sen. John Hoeven, R-N.D., said in a release.
“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,” Hoeven said. “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.”
The move was applauded by North Dakota Gov. Kelly Armstrong and Attorney General Drew Wrigley in a press release on Wednesday.
“This is a major win for North Dakota taxpayers and the rule of law,” Armstrong and Wrigley said in the joint statement. “As outlined in trial testimony and Judge Traynor’s ruling, decisions made by the Obama administration emboldened protesters and ultimately caused millions of dollars in damage to North Dakota, while endangering the health and safety of North Dakota communities, families and law enforcement officers who responded to the protests.”
In March, a Morton County jury ordered Greenpeace to pay $660 million in damages to the developer of the Dakota Access Pipeline, finding the environmental group helped incite illegal behavior by anti-pipeline protesters, the North Dakota Monitor reported.
Larry Downing / Reuters file photo
Reporter working the night shift 👻. I cover Fargo city government, Cass County government and underserved populations in the area.
WILLIAMS COUNTY, N.D. (Valley News Live) – The North Dakota Highway Patrol is urging drivers in northwest North Dakota to stay off the roads Thursday afternoon as blowing dirt creates near-zero visibility in some areas.
As of 1:30 p.m. Thursday, troopers were reporting low to no visibility in parts of the region, including along Highway 85 in Williams County near mile marker 212, where a crash occurred. The Highway Patrol shared a photo from the crash scene showing extremely reduced visibility.
Officials are asking people to stay home if possible. Those who must travel are urged to slow down, turn on their headlights, leave extra space between vehicles and be prepared for rapidly changing conditions.
Copyright 2026 KVLY. All rights reserved.
WASHINGTON — The North Dakota Department of Emergency Services has been recognized for its wildfire prevention efforts with a national Bronze Smokey Bear Award.
“These awardees demonstrate what fire prevention looks like in action,” said U.S. Forest Service Deputy Chief Sarah Fisher. “Their efforts protect lives, support firefighters and make a real difference in communities across the country.”
May is Wildfire Awareness Month, and with North Dakota experiencing another active spring wildfire season, each fire prevented is one that local responders don’t have to put out, underscoring the importance of each individual’s responsibility to work and recreate safely outdoors. The award to the N.D. Department of Emergency Services (NDDES) recognizes its efforts in communicating just that.
The communications team is led by Strategic Communications Chief Alison Vetter and is supported by Autonomous Systems and Communications Specialist Clint Fleckenstein.
According to information from the Forest Service, the team’s creative products are visually appealing, engaging and effective. The “Learn Before You Burn” tagline urges North Dakotans to visit the interactive N.D. Fire Declarations and Burn Restrictions map to learn their local restrictions, fire danger and red flag warnings before burning or recreating outdoors. Vetter and Fleckenstein consistently take initiative to address fire prevention issues proactively and go above and beyond to become the best possible storytellers of wildfire prevention messaging.
Alison Vetter
Their statewide efforts identify unique and effective avenues to communicate these important public safety topics, addressing top human-caused fire causes like open burning and equipment use through reels, interviews, Gas Station TV, visits with local students, and GoodHealthTV kiosks found in local health units, schools and other public buildings.
During the historic October 2024 wildfires, NDDES mobilized the Joint Information Center, responding to the elevated need for education, prevention and response to determine messaging needs in real time. This included topics like publicizing daily fire danger, sharing resources for affected landowners, advocating for defensible space and safety tips, and messaging ways to minimize fire risk when harvesting, hunting, or enjoying the outdoors. Alison and her team worked over the winter of 2024-2025 to identify prevention efforts and causes, and crafted effective communications strategies to reduce wildfire occurrence, which proved necessary into an active spring 2025 fire season as well. After the devastation of the October 2024 wildfires, they created a documentary to highlight the value and appreciation for those who responded to the call and showcase the unique way North Dakota communities show up for one another in crisis.
The 2026 Smokey Bear Awards will be presented at the National Association of State Foresters’ annual meeting in Lexington, Kentucky, in September.
North Dakota
Armstrong directs flags at half-staff Thursday in observance of Peace Officers Memorial Day
BISMARCK, N.D. – Gov. Kelly Armstrong has directed all government agencies to fly the United States and North Dakota flags at half-staff on Thursday, May 14, and encourages North Dakotans to do the same at their homes and businesses, in observance of national Peace Officers Memorial Day.
The governor’s directive is in accordance with a proclamation issued by President Donald Trump, who also proclaimed May 10-16 as national Police Week.
Armstrong will join North Dakota Attorney General Drew Wrigley and Supreme Court Chief Justice Lisa Fair McEvers in delivering remarks during a North Dakota Peace Officers Memorial Service at 7 p.m. Thursday in Memorial Hall of the State Capitol. North Dakota’s 69 fallen peace officers will be remembered and honored during the service, and the Capitol windows will be lit to display a “Thin Blue Line” as a mark of respect for all law enforcement officers, past and present.
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