A North Dakota judge has cut the damages Greenpeace must pay a pipeline company to $345 million, roughly half of what a jury had originally awarded. The case involves protests against the Dakota Access oil pipeline that took place nearly ten years ago near the Standing Rock Sioux Tribe’s reservation.
The lawsuit was brought by Energy Transfer, a Dallas-based company, and its subsidiary Dakota Access. They claimed Greenpeace and its related groups defamed them and interfered with their business during the 2016-2017 protests against the pipeline’s crossing of the Missouri River. A nine-person jury initially ordered Greenpeace International, Greenpeace USA, and Greenpeace Fund Inc. to pay nearly $667 million in damages.
Judge James Gion reviewed the case and decided to reduce the amount after assessing the evidence. He agreed with some of Greenpeace’s arguments, saying some claims lacked evidence or overlapped, so he lowered certain damages and dismissed a few claims. However, he also kept others, agreeing there was enough proof for a jury to find Greenpeace partly responsible.
Energy Transfer stands by the jury’s original findings and says it will appeal the judge’s reduction. Greenpeace says it plans to ask for a new trial, arguing the remaining claims against it have no solid legal basis. The environmental group believes the lawsuit aims to discourage free speech and protests.
The lawsuit started in 2019 and went to trial earlier this year in Mandan, North Dakota. It has been closely watched because it highlights the tension between environmental activism and big energy projects. Recently, the judge also declined Energy Transfer’s request to block Greenpeace International from pursuing a separate lawsuit against Energy Transfer in the Netherlands.
This case shows the ongoing battles over oil pipelines and the role protests play in shaping public and legal responses. Both sides are gearing up for more legal fights as the appeals process begins.