Highway near pipeline remains closed; judge denies emergency injunction

From North Dakota-

Local community leaders have been pushing for the highway to reopen, citing the closure’s impact to the economy and access to medical services.

In a letter to Gov. Doug Burgum, the Rev. John Floberg of St. James Episcopal Church in Cannon Ball wrote that the closure is harming Prairie Knights Casino, an “economic engine” for the reservation that funds programs for children.

“This is economic retaliation against some of the state’s poorest residents,” Floberg wrote to Burgum, calling on him to open the highway immediately.

A contractor has completed cleaning the Dakota Access Pipeline protest camps on land managed by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers.

Morton County spokeswoman Maxine Herr said crews were continuing Tuesday to scrape snow and mud off Highway 1806 and collecting debris from ditches, with most of the work occurring south of the bridge near the former protest camps.

More here-

http://www.prairiebusinessmagazine.com/energy/4234930-highway-near-pipeline-remains-closed-judge-denies-emergency-injunction