Minnesota court deals setback to oil pipeline opposed by tribes

Tribal leaders and activists in Minnesota declared victory on Monday after an appeals court dealt a setback to an oil pipeline that would cross treaty territory.

In a unanimous decision, the Minnesota Court of Appeals said the Minnesota Public Utilities Commission acted prematurely by granting a "certificate of need" to the $2.6 billion Sandpiper crude oil pipeline. The ruling means the state must prepare an environmental impact statement before moving forward with a controversial project that tribes believe will harm their treaty-protected wild rice areas.

http://www.indianz.com/News/2015/018904.asp