Dakota Access protesters won’t leave, despite victory

Opponents of the Dakota Access oil pipeline said today they will not leave their camp, despite winning a reprieve from the federal government. The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers announced Sunday it would not approve the final section of the pipeline, which would run under a Missouri River reservoir. Native Americans and environmentalists say the pipeline could threaten drinking water and will damage cultural sites. The Corps has ordered additional study on alternate routes for the pipeline. Dallas-based Energy Transfer Partners, which is spending $3.8 billion to build the pipeline across four states, accused the government of intentionally delaying the project until President Barack Obama leaves office. President-elect Donald Trump has said he supports the pipeline. That’s why protesters don’t plan to leave their encampment any time soon. “We don’t know what Trump is going to do,” said Miles Allard, a member of the Standing Rock Sioux.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.