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U.S. federal government halts Dakota oil pipeline

On Thursday, North Dakotas archaeologist said that piece of private land was not previously surveyed by the state would be surveyed next week and that if artifacts are found, pipeline work still could cease.

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After five months of peaceful protest, the Sacred Stone Camp finally got attention from the national media. A prairie there is covered with tepees, tents and RVs. The Standing Rock Tribe has since been joined by hundreds of other supporters, including other Native American activists and environmental groups. They’re also concerned that if the pipeline ruptures it could pollute local drinking water. They opposed plans to build a highway through Petroglyph National Monument, but they lost that battle. One person who was included in these actions was Green Party presidential candidate Jill Stein, who now has a warrant out for her arrest in Morton County.

“(T) he proposed route was carefully created to transport crude in the safest, most efficient way possible”, a DAPL website states. Keystone XL was also set to cross Native lands and waters.

On Sept. 3, the protests became violent when protestors with the Standing Rock Sioux Tribe were bitten by dogs from the Dallas-based Energy Transfer Partners, the company building the pipeline, CBS reported. Over the course of the summer, they left their homes at Standing Rock and ran 2,000 miles to Washington, DC – they arrived in early August – in an effort to bring attention to the movement against the pipeline.

The Obama Administration ruling to halt construction of the Dakota Access Pipeline has been called a game changer for the indigenous people of North America. “We request that the pipeline company voluntarily pause all construction activity within 20 miles east or west of Lake Oahe”.

“We appreciate the District Court’s opinion on the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers’ compliance with the National Historic Preservation Act”. Now the Corps will go back and determine whether it should reconsider any of the conclusions the agency made that led to approving the pipeline.

While the appeal is pending, attorney Jan Hasselman argued in court records the court should issue an injunction to halt pipeline construction around Lake Oahe to “prevent additional losses and desecration of grave sites”. While we are troubled this situation even reached this level of contention, we are grateful that it is now sparking meaningful conversations never held at this level of government – conversations that actually take into consideration the needs and wishes of tribes when it comes to infrastructure projects such as the Dakota Access Pipeline.

“Had the decision been different, it most certainly would have had a chilling effect on domestic infrastructure development and the US economy as no sane American company would dare invest the time and resources necessary for proper consultations and approvals only to have its project shuttered halfway through”, Stevens wrote.

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A rally against the Dakota Access pipeline is scheduled for Friday afternoon at the North Dakota Capitol, and many of those gathered at the protest site are expected to make the approximately 45-mile trek.

Mixed Reactions as Feds Give Standing Rock Sioux Partial Victory