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Terray Sylvester / Reuters

The US Army Corps of Engineers told a federal court on Tuesday that it intends to grant an easement for the Dakota Access pipeline, clearing the way for a controversial project that was slowed down with court challenges and protests.

The notice comes just days after President Trump signed an executive order to continue construction of the pipeline, despite months of tense protests in North Dakota, where the pipeline remains unfinished.

Thousands of protesters, including members of the Standing Rock Sioux Tribe, have camped at Standing Rock to stop the building of the line.

Evan Vucci / AP

Opponents of the Dakota Access Pipeline won a short victory in December when the US Army Corps of Engineers announced it would not grant an easement.

The main issue in dispute is a portion of the pipeline that was to be placed under Lake Oahe.

At the time, then Assistant Army Secretary for Civil Works Jo-Ellen Darcy said the decision was based on a need to look for alternative routes

But in the court filing Tuesday, the US Army Corps of Engineers seemed ready to reverse course and get construction of the pipe underway.

In a letter to members of congress delivered Tuesday, the Department of the Army said it was waiving its usual 14-day waiting period from its notice of Congress before issuing the easement.

Instead, the Army was ready to issue the easement within 24 hours to Energy Transfer Partners, the company that is building the 30-inch underground pipeline of light crude oil.

The current acting Assistant Army Secretary for Civil works, Douglas W. Lamont, said in a memorandum attached to the court filing that he determined “there is no cause for completing any additional environmental analysis,” of the pipeline.

Jan Hasselman, attorney for the Standing Rock Sioux Tribe, suggested it would continue to stop work on the pipeline through the courts.

“The Obama administration correctly found that the Tribe's treaty rights needed to be respected, and that the easement should not be granted without further review and consideration of alternative crossing locations,” Hasselmen said in a statement. “Trump's reversal of that decision continues a historic pattern of broken promises to Indian Tribes and violation of Treaty rights. They will be accountable in court.”

LINK: The US Army Corps Has Been Directed To Clear The Way For The Dakota Access Pipeline

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