Central ND News

On this day in 2017, the North Dakota Joint Information Center announced that Highway 1806 met the criteria for a phased reopening. This included cleanup efforts and traffic safety measures. Officials were assessing road conditions and debris removal as the state worked toward restoring normal traffic flow.

According to Britannica, the Standing Rock protests, which took place in 2016 and 2017, were a significant grassroots movement aimed at halting the construction of the Dakota Access Pipeline near the Standing Rock Sioux Reservation in North Dakota. Protesters, including Indigenous leaders and environmental activists, argued that the pipeline threatened sacred land and the water supply, sparking nationwide support.

The Washington Times reports that after the February 2017 evacuation of the Dakota Access Pipeline protest camps, crews cleared 48 million pounds of debris from the Oceti Sakowin site. The $1 million cleanup, funded by North Dakota taxpayers, aimed to prevent waste from polluting the Cannonball River as snowmelt increased. A Florida-based contractor was hired by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers to assist in this effort alongside earlier cleanup efforts led by the Standing Rock Sioux Tribe.

According to South Dakota Searchlight, North Dakota officials reported $38 million in law enforcement and emergency response costs related to the Dakota Access Pipeline protests. State officials blamed federal agencies for escalating and prolonging the demonstrations while failing to provide adequate resources. In response, the U.S. government argued that North Dakota oversaid these expenses.

The North Dakota Joint Information Center operates continuously, coordinating emergency communications and resources with over 50 agencies, private enterprises, and volunteer organizations. It supports local jurisdictions in disaster response and emergency management efforts according to information on the North Dakota State website.