"Landmark Trial: Greenpeace Faces $300 Million Lawsuit from Energy Transfer Over Dakota Access Pipeline Protests"

Tue Oct 14 2025 21:15:35 GMT+0300 (Eastern European Summer Time)

The longstanding environmental organization Greenpeace is under scrutiny in a civil trial initiated by Energy Transfer, which claims the protests against the Dakota Access Pipeline have had devastating financial impacts.

In a pivotal legal battle in North Dakota, Energy Transfer's $300 million lawsuit against Greenpeace has commenced, alleging that the organization's protests against the Dakota Access Pipeline caused significant financial damage. Greenpeace counters that it merely supported the movement among many groups, which mobilized vast public dissent against the project.

In a North Dakota courtroom, the opening arguments kicked off this week in a trial that may determine the future of Greenpeace, a well-known environmental organization facing a staggering $300 million lawsuit filed by Energy Transfer, the company behind the controversial Dakota Access Pipeline. The lawsuit alleges that Greenpeace played a critical role in orchestrating widespread protests against the pipeline that have reportedly led to financial setbacks for the company.

The Dakota Access Pipeline, designed to transport crude oil from North Dakota through several states to Illinois, was met with significant opposition in 2016 and 2017, including a series of protests that drew tens of thousands of people to the region. Energy Transfer claims that these demonstrations, which they argue were incited and funded by Greenpeace, resulted in lost financing, construction delays, and increased costs tied to security and public relations.

During the trial, Energy Transfer’s lead attorney, Trey Cox, characterized the proceedings as a "day of reckoning," asserting that they would establish how Greenpeace contributed to unlawful protests that inflicted financial damage on the company. Conversely, Everett Jack Jr., the lead attorney for Greenpeace, contested this narrative. He presented a defense highlighting that Greenpeace's involvement in the protests was minimal and that the resistance to the project stemmed from a broad coalition of activists pursuing environmental justice.

As the trial unfolds, attention will focus on the arguments presented by both sides, shedding light on the complexities of protest movements, corporate interests, and the implications for environmental advocacy in a landscape increasingly fraught with legal challenges.