Meanwhile, says a September 19 Democracy Now article entitled “Standing Rock Sioux Tribe Wins Expanded Halt to Pipeline Construction”, a judge ruled against the Dakota Access’ restraining orders against tribal leaders.
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In a press release, the tribe stated that representatives from the Snoqualmie Tribal Council and more than 20 tribal members and their families are travelling to Cannon Ball, N.D., where they will deliver essential supplies to protesters.
A coalition of 75 US and Canadian native groups that opposes expansion of North American oil production will join a USA tribe’s fight against the Dakota Access pipeline if tensions escalate, a regional Canadian chief said on Friday. The task force also is looking into whether tribal artifacts were disturbed at the site as the Standing Rock Sioux tribe has argued. “The Standing Rock Sioux Tribe will not stop fighting until our lands, resources, people and sacred sites are permanently protected from the destruction of the pipeline”.
Protests against the pipeline have picked up momentum in recent months because of the objections of the Standing Rock Sioux, who say it would disturb ancient tribal lands and threaten their water supplies.
The Obama administration has asked for the construction of the pipeline around or below Lake Oahe to be “voluntarily halted” by the construction company, while these additional considerations are made.
The Dakota Access Pipeline would transport crude oil from the Bakken/Three Forks oil fields in North Dakota to IL, crossing four states.
Tribal leaders cheered previous year when President Barack Obama sided with them in blocking a Canadian company’s bid to build the Keystone XL energy pipeline, or “the black snake”, as it was called by many. Their resolution referred to recent oil spills, such as the release of 1,000,000 gallons of tar sands crude in the Kalamazoo River in MI in July 2010, as well as the release of 80,000 gallons of oil near Tioga, N.D., in October of 2013. To collect public input, 29 open houses, public meetings and regulatory hearings were held throughout the four states where the pipeline travels.
Spokesmen for the U.S. Army Corp of Engineers were not immediately available for comment. North Dakota has decades of atrocious relations with its Native American communities – and doesn’t care.
In a memo obtained by Common Dreams earlier this week, Energy Transfer CEO Kelcy Warren wrote that his firm is “committed to completing construction and safely operating the Dakota Access Pipeline within the confines of the law”. In the meantime, the leaders of the Standing Rock are working to keep momentum going in an effort to bring more awareness to similar plights of other tribes. [L2N1BQ1QA] Sunoco told Reuters it has taken measures to reduce its spill rate. A pipeline is a long pipe, typically underground to transport oil, gases and other materials over long distances. The company has previously denounced “threats and attacks” perpetrated upon its employees.
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Proponents of the pipeline were not present. However, the administration’s joint statement calling for a “voluntary” halt to construction has now stopped a segment of the project. The company is already contesting a proposed $1.3 million fine from regulators for violations related to welding on that line.
