Shortly after, the Departments of Justice, Army and Interior released a statement says it would “reconsider any of its previous decisions” on land that borders or is under Lake Oahe and requested that Texas-based Energy Transfer Partners “voluntarily pause” work within 20 miles east or west of the lake. Protesters of all ages made noise, held signs and asked for cars to honk in approval, all to oppose the Dakota Access Pipeline.
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“With the national guard helping in these support roles we can free up more officers for enhanced patrols and calls for assistance”.
Thanks to abundant coverage by social media, the nation watched this week as activists protesting the construction of a pipeline to transport oil through the Dakotas, Iowa and IL put their own safety at risk to protect a Native American cultural site.
The estimated 5,000 Native Americans and environmentalists now encamped on federal and private land, say the pipeline was approved by the Army Corps of engineers without proper permits, and without consulting the tribe, ignoring the land’s historical and cultural significance.
The members are standing in solidarity with fellow tribes in North Dakota protesting the oil pipeline being built.
Tribal members say they plan on appealing that decision.
“Dakota” means “friendly” and yet, it seems, neither side has been too friendly to each other.
Today, Americans sleep guiltlessly knowing and being reminded of the fact that we, supposedly, no longer do this to Native Americans. “We ain’t going to stand and let them do this anymore”. “They came and maced us”.
If completed, the 1,172-mile pipeline would carry 470,000 barrels of crude oil a day from North Dakota to IL. The tribe worries the pipeline could leak – destroying their water supply.
A coalition supporting the project tells CBS News it “will be among the safest, most technologically advanced pipelines ever constructed”. There is no reason to believe either that Midwest grain shipments will be curtailed in the future or that building the pipeline would reduce any rail shipping constraints should they arise.
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“And in my view, in the last few months anyway, they were more than exhaustive in their environmental assessment of this route”, he said before the federal judge handed down his ruling Friday.
