Pipeline Protest Verdict Hits $345 Million

A judge in North Dakota has handed down a hefty judgment against Greenpeace, awarding the environmental group $345 million after a trial over protests of the Dakota Access Pipeline. The case began when Energy Transfer, the company that built the 1, 172‑mile pipeline from North Dakota to Illinois, sued Greenpeace for allegedly causing delays and financial losses. During the trial, plaintiffs argued that Greenpeace’s activism had disrupted construction for years. Greenpeace countered that the lawsuit was an attempt to silence critics and infringe on free speech. The jury’s decision came after the judge cut the original award in half, reducing it from about $670 million to the current figure. The money will be split among three Greenpeace entities.Greenpeace officials say they plan to challenge the verdict, possibly requesting a new trial or appealing to the North Dakota Supreme Court. The company that filed suit has not yet responded to inquiries. If upheld, the judgment could threaten Greenpeace’s financial stability in the United States. The organization insists that speaking out against corporate environmental harm should never be illegal, and views the ruling as a setback that will eventually fail. The case highlights the tension between large infrastructure projects and environmental activism, raising questions about how protest actions are treated in court.