North Dakota

North Dakota is a U.S. state involved in several recent news stories. A North Dakota judge finalized a $345 million judgment against Greenpeace for its role in protests against the Dakota Access Pipeline, a controversial oil pipeline project from nearly a decade ago. This judgment stems from a lawsuit filed by Energy Transfer, the pipeline company. The state is also relevant in discussions about environmental regulations, as the Trump administration loosened restrictions on air toxins, despite most coal-fired power plants being able to comply with stricter rules. Locally, the North Dakota Highway Patrol has added a bloodhound to its force to aid in finding missing persons. Finally, a resident of Bismark, N.D. participated in the Groundhog Day celebration in Punxsutawney, PA.