Growing in number and spirit, the Standing Rock Sioux protest against the Dakota Access Pipeline is swiftly gaining strength ahead of a federal hearing on the controversial project.
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The tribe, represented by the environmental law group Earthjustice, sued the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers last month over permits issued for the almost $3.8 billion pipeline, which will be the largest oil pipeline from western North Dakota’s Bakken oil fields, moving 450,000 barrels per day from Stanley to Patoka, Ill.
In Iowa, where the pipeline is approved to cross 18 counties, the state utilities board this week ordered that Dakota Access not conduct any work until Monday on parcels owned by 15 landowners who are fighting the company’s use of eminent domain to acquire easements from unwilling sellers.
The $3.8 billion pipeline, which will run 1,168 miles through Iowa, Illinois, North Dakota and South Dakota, has generated legal challenges and protests, most aggressively in North Dakota and Iowa. “We continually seek ways to enhance our operations in the areas of environmental and resource protection and conservation”, the company says. “Do anything you can, and we’d certainly love to see your support”, said Randy’L Teton, Public Affairs, Tribes. “Tribes from across the nation have united and I would hope Dakota Access does not continue with construction with the destruction of land before (the judge’s ruling)”. The Standing Rock tribe fears a leak could contaminate their drinking water, which comes from the Missouri River.
A federal judge in Washington, D.C., will consider Wednesday the tribe’s request for an injunction that would effectively halt construction of the 1,172-mile pipeline.
“At this point, there is not a permit, but it is my understanding they are requesting a permit”, which will undergo a review for issues such as environmental impact, health and safety, she said.
Corps spokeswoman Eileen Williamson said the agency is just monitoring the situation and has no action planned.
Once the hearing concludes, they’re aiming to meet with leaders of the seven North Dakota tribes protesting the pipeline and determine a timeline to end the protest, which began in April.
The pipeline “threatens the ancestral sites that are significant to our tribe”.
Federal attorneys dismissed the complaint, saying they offered the Standing Rock Sioux the chance to assess the pipeline with them and that the tribe declined, while other tribes in the region took them up on the offer. Now, the EA is less intensive as the EIS, so they’re able to kind of do unlawful things, that-such as destroy our sites that are sacred to us.
Energy Transfer Partners officials didn’t return The Associated Press’ phone calls or emails Wednesday seeking comment.
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Opponents of a major North Dakota pipeline project brought their case to federal court Wednesday.
