Right now the news in only covering one thing: the Election. However there are other pressing matters happening in our country right now. This past week it was brought back into the news with the arrest of Shailiene Woodley and 27 other peaceful protesters. The Dakota Access Pipeline and it's battle with the idegnous people of the land.
The Dakota Access Pipeline has a great impact on the production of crude oil to the United States. The pipeline would eliminate the use of Tanker trucks to transport the oil, which would reduce the carbon footprint. The pipeline will also create thousands of jobs, boost the economy, and help with the agriculture sale of the area. The Dakota Access Pipeline website says it will work with landowners to minimize disruptions, make accommodations, and restore impacted land, so why is there protest?
The pipeline is set to travel across the Standing Rock Indian Reservation, home of the federally recognized, successor of the Great Sioux Nation, Standing Rock Sioux Tribe. The Standing Rock Sioux Tribe has filed a complaint stating that the pipeline threatens the "Tribe's environmental and economic well-being, and would damage and destroy sites of great historic, religious, and cultural significance to the Tribe." There are also concerns that the pipeline will affect the water supply of the tribe if there ever was an oil spill. There are laws set in place where agencies must look at risks and to protect Indian land, sites, and history. However the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers ignored the laws and went ahead with the construction schedule. The construction had halted for courts to review the complaint filed, however on October 9, 2016 the courts decided that construction shall resume. On October 10, 2016 "the company building the Dakota Access Pipeline, Energy Transfer Partners, went ahead with construction despite a joint statement from the U.S. Departments of Justice, Army and Interior requesting that they voluntarily pause until the Corps finishes its review of the pipeline's entire route." This is the same day Shailiene Woodley and 27 others were arrested for "rioting" during there peaceful protest. This week there have been mulitple protest in support of the Standing Rock Sioux Tribe, some of been dangerous, and most have been peaceful.
But why is this important? Why should we care about a pipeline going under a river? Because the river is where a community receives thier water supply, it is where their ancestors are buried. This land is sacred to the Standing Rock Sioux Tribe and haven't we already taken enough from the Native people of this land. We all are indigenous to this land, to this earth and we must protect her and it's people. There are laws set in place nowadays to protect tribes and their land and they shouldn't be ignored or fast-tracked so that we can have easier access to crude oil. But what can we do to stop it, you can contact the government and write them about how you want them to support the stop of the pipeline. You can protest yourself, you can spread the word about what is happening and get others on board. You can see which presidential candidate ( not just Hillary or Donald ) is supporting the stop of the pipeline in the reserve. You can sign a petition. You can even travel to the reserve and protest peacefully. You can make a difference and help protect these sacred lands.
For more information about the Dakota Access Pipeline visit this website: http://www.daplpipelinefacts.com/
For a history of Standing Rock Sioux Tribe's fight of the pipeline visit this website: http://www.motherjones.com/environment/2016/09/dak...
