A federal judge declined Tuesday to temporarily stop construction of the final section of the disputed Dakota Access pipeline, clearing the way for oil to flow as soon as next week. The stretch under the Missouri River reservoir in southern North Dakota is the last piece of construction for the $3.8-billion pipeline to move North Dakota oil to Illinois. In February, Boasberg declined the tribes' request to order an immediate halt to the pipeline construction, ruling that as long as oil wasn't flowing through the pipeline, there was no imminent harm to the tribes. Work under Lake Oahe had been held up in the courts until President Trump last month instructed the Corps to advance construction. Company attorney William Scherman said in court documents that the pipeline could be moving oil as early as next week.

Source: Los Angeles Times March 07, 2017 18:37 UTC