North Dakota judge finalizes $345m judgment against Greenpeace in pipeline case

"The final judgment by judge James Gion was in line with a decision he issued in October, in which he slashed by almost half a damages award of about $667m that a jury had awarded Energy Transfer in March. Greenpeace in a statement said it would seek a new trial and, if necessary, appeal the decision to the North Dakota supreme court, calling the lawsuit a blatant attempt to silence free speech."

"Speaking out against corporations that cause environmental harm should never be deemed unlawful, Marco Simons, interim general counsel at Greenpeace USA and Greenpeace Fund, said in a statement. Energy Transfer in a statement called the decision an important step in this legal process of holding Greenpeace accountable for its unlawful and damaging actions against us during the construction of the Dakota Access Pipeline."

"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."

A North Dakota judge finalized a $345 million judgment against Greenpeace in a lawsuit by pipeline company Energy Transfer over the environmental group's involvement in Dakota Access Pipeline protests. The judgment reduced a jury's initial $667 million award by nearly half. Energy Transfer accused Greenpeace of spreading falsehoods and paying protesters to disrupt construction. Greenpeace stated it would appeal, arguing the lawsuit attempts to silence free speech and that opposing environmentally harmful corporate actions should not be unlawful. The Dakota Access Pipeline, completed in 2017 near Standing Rock Indian Reservation, now transports approximately 40% of North Dakota's Bakken region oil production. Construction faced fierce protests from environmental and tribal groups concerned about water contamination and climate impacts.

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