According to an article at Snopes.com:
The Army Corps of Engineers has denied the easement needed to complete the Dakota Access Pipeline, according Colonel Henderson, who notified Veterans for Standing Rock co-organizer Michael A. Wood Jr on 4 December 2016.
More than 3,000 veterans had converged at the Standing Rock camp to support the Sioux in their ongoing opposition to the building of a $3.7 billion pipeline that would cross through disputed land managed by the Army Corps of Engineers. Wood said upon learning of the move, "This is history."
From a report in Al Jazeera :
The US Army Corps of Engineers has turned down a permit for a controversial pipeline project running through North Dakota, in a victory for Native Americans and climate activists who have protested against the project for several months, according to a statement released.
The 1,885km Dakota Access Pipeline, owned by Texas-based Energy Transfer Partners LP, had been complete except for a segment planned to run under Lake Oahe, a reservoir formed by a dam on the Missouri River.
"The Army will not grant an easement to cross Lake Oahe at the proposed location based on the current record," a statement from the US Army said.
The Standing Rock Sioux tribe, along with climate activists, have been protesting the $3.8bn project, saying it could contaminate the water supply and damage sacred tribal lands.
[...] "Today, the US Army Corps of Engineers announced that it will not be granting the easement to cross Lake Oahe for the proposed Dakota Access Pipeline," said Standing Rock Chairman Dave Archambault II, in a statement.
"Instead, the Corps will be undertaking an environmental impact statement to look at possible alternative routes."
(Score: 3, Insightful) by RamiK on Monday December 05 2016, @04:04PM
Sparing you the obvious analog of Flint, Michigan and their drinking water, why should anyone feel obligated to honor the deals & decisions of politicians elected using foreign campaign contributions?
Petroleum corporation pour so much money into getting their guys in office at the states and reservations level that you might as well follow a Manchurian candidate while saying "because that's the rule of the game" as he marches you off a cliff.
Presidential elections and international cash don't mix. Reservations(/states) and inter-state funds shouldn't either. Until that happens, protesting seems the mildest form of resistant considering I would personally won't hold it against them if they chose to arm up and take down "their" council by force.
compiling...