Greenpeace must pay pipeline company nearly $667 million over Standing Rock protests, jury says

Record ID: 1984409

  • Title: Greenpeace must pay pipeline company nearly $667 million over Standing Rock protests, jury says
  • Date: 19th March 2025
  • Summary: MANDAN, NORTH DAKOTA, UNITED STATES (MARCH 19, 2025)(REUTERS) (SOUNDBITE)(English) GREENPEACE SENIOR LEGAL ADVISOR, DEEPA PADMANABHA, SAYING: "I think let me see really quick. So over $400 million of damages that the jury found were punitive damages. And so those are that's I think there is some confusion about we thought this was a $300 million case. Well, the jury could
  • Embargoed:
  • Keywords: DAKOTA ACCESS PIPELINE ENERGY TRANSFER GREENPEACE AMERICA LAWSUIT NORTH DAKOTA SLAPP LAWSUIT
  • Location: MANDAN, NORTH DAKOTA, UNITED STATES; NEAR CANNON BALL, NORTH DAKOTA, UNITED STATES
  • City: MANDAN, NORTH DAKOTA, UNITED STATES; NEAR CANNON BALL, NORTH DAKOTA, UNITED STATES
  • Country: US
  • Topics: Crime/Law/Justice,Judicial Process/Court Cases/Court Decisions,North America
  • Reuters ID: LVA005014719032025RP1
  • Aspect Ratio: 16:9
  • Story Text:Greenpeace must pay a Texas-based pipeline company nearly $667 million in damages for the environmental advocacy group’s role in 2016-2017 protests against the Dakota Access Pipeline in North Dakota, a jury said Wednesday (March 19).
    The verdict in North Dakota state court came after two days of deliberations in a trial where pipeline company Energy Transfer accused Greenpeace of paying protesters to disrupt construction of the pipeline unlawfully and spreading falsehoods about the controversial project, located near the Standing Rock Indian Reservation.
    The verdict included damages for defamation, trespassing and conspiracy. The jury awarded more than $400 million in punitive damages, which are intended to punish defendants for their conduct.
    Greenpeace denied wrongdoing and called the case an attack on free speech rights. The group’s lawyers said they would appeal the verdict.
    “This has been going on for, you know, over eight years. It is the end of one phase, but the fight is far from over.” said Greenpeace attorney Deepa Padmanabha, asserting that the group only played a minor role in the demonstrations.
    Energy Transfer lawyer Trey Cox said in a statement that Greenpeace’s “violent and destructive” protests were not legally protected speech.
    “Today, the jury delivered a resounding verdict, declaring Greenpeace’s actions wrong, unlawful, and unacceptable by societal standards. It is a day of reckoning and accountability for Greenpeace,” Cox said.
    "This is another revisionist history of what this case was about and what the outcome symbolizes. This is a an attack on the First Amendment. This is a very blatant attack." said in response to Energy Transfer's statement while speaking with Reuters.
    Construction of the pipeline was met with fierce protests by environmental and tribal advocacy groups who said the project would poison local water supply and exacerbate climate change.
    The project began in 2016 and was completed the following year. The pipeline transports roughly 40% of the oil produced in North Dakota’s Bakken region.
    (Production: Matt M. McKnight)
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