North Dakota officials borrow $4M, criticize protest cost
BISMARCK, N.D. — North Dakota leaders have agreed to borrow an additional $4 million to cover the escalating costs of policing protests at the Dakota Access pipeline and slammed the federal government for not chipping in part of the funding.
The state has now run up a $10 million line of credit for law enforcement costs after an emergency spending panel headed by Gov. Jack Dalrymple voted Tuesday to borrow the additional funds from the state-owned Bank of North Dakota.
Dalrymple said officials have asked for contributions from the federal government, the pipeline company, an American Indian tribe, “and any entity we can think of.” So far, North Dakota and the local governments it backs have shouldered most of the law enforcement expenses — even paying for officers from other states that have assisted North Dakota during the protests.
More than 400 people have been arrested since August at the North Dakota portion of the pipeline, which also crosses through South Dakota, Iowa and Illinois.