BISMARCK, N.D. - American Indian tribes hoping to persuade a federal judge to turn off the Dakota Access pipeline maintain in last-minute court filings that the project's developer overstated potential impacts of a shutdown.
Federal Judge James Boasberg is deciding whether to shut down the $3.8 billion pipeline carrying North Dakota oil to Illinois while federal officials study how an underwater spill might impact the Standing Rock Sioux.
The tribe's lawyer, Jan Hasselman took issue with the contention of Texas-based Energy Transfer Partners that a shutdown would cost it $90 million monthly and would have significant implications for the broader energy industry and government tax revenue.
Energy trade groups also filed arguments Monday supporting the company, but Hasselman says ETP is relying on "exaggerated and unsupported predictions."