Judge Rules Greenpeace Must Pay $345M to Energy Transfer

A North Dakota judge has ruled that Greenpeace must pay approximately $345 million in damages to Energy Transfer, the company behind the Dakota Access Pipeline, stemming from protests against the project nearly a decade ago. The decision, filed Tuesday in Bismarck federal court by Judge James Gion, follows a 2025 jury verdict that held the environmental organization liable on multiple claims and could lead to appeals from both parties.

The lawsuit originated in 2019, when Energy Transfer accused Greenpeace entities of contributing to disruptions during the 2016 and 2017 protests near the pipeline's Missouri River crossing, upstream of the Standing Rock Sioux Tribe's reservation. The 1,172-mile pipeline, which transports crude oil through four Midwestern states and became operational in 2017, drew opposition from the tribe and supporters who argued it posed risks to water supplies and cultural sites. Protests at the site grew to involve thousands of participants from around the world, resulting in hundreds of arrests amid clashes that delayed construction and increased costs for the company.

A nine-person jury found Greenpeace USA, Greenpeace International, and Greenpeace Fund...