Shailene Woodley celebrating as pipeline plans are re-routed

Shailene Woodley, Jane Fonda and their fellow Dakota Access Pipeline protesters are celebrating after learning the project has been re-routed.

Activists have successfully beat back plans to route the pipeline through sacred Standing Rock Sioux land in South Dakota.

Announcing the big news on Sunday (04Dec16), Standing Rock tribal chairman Dave Archambault II said, "Today, the U.S. Army Corps of engineers announced that it will not be granting the easement to cross Lake Oahe for the proposed Dakota Access Pipeline.

"Instead, the Corps will be undertaking an environmental impact statement to look at possible alternate routes. We wholeheartedly support the decision of the administration and commend with the utmost gratitude the courage it took on the part of President Obama, the Army Corps, the Department of Justice and the Department of the Interior to take steps to correct the course of history and do the right thing."

Demonstrators have been on site in South Dakota for weeks, and Woodley was among those arrested there in October (16). She returned to help Jane Fonda serve Thanksgiving dinners to the activists in November (16), and took her protest against the Dakota Access Pipeline to Washington, D.C. days later (27Nov16).

She will appear in court on 22 February (17) on charges of criminal trespass and engaging in a riot related to her arrest. She has pleaded not guilty to both counts.

Susan Sarandon, Vincent D'Onofrio and Mark Ruffalo were among the first celebrities to take to Twitter on Sunday to celebrate the big win for the activists.