Dakota Access Pipeline opponents prepared Thursday to continue camping near the Missouri and Cannonball rivers while legal groups said they’re looking for new ways to challenge the pipeline. She says the pipeline creates a “dangerous situation” that threatens the tribe’s drinking water.
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The case has garnered attention recently, as large protests have halted construction on the pipeline in North Dakota, and as celebrities including Susan Sarandon and Shailene Woodley have sided with the tribe.
Generations of native Americans, both young and old, took turns sharing personal accounts of why halting the pipeline was important to them as crowd broke into battle cries and pounded tribal drums.
The Iowa Utilities Board has declined to take immediate action on a request by 14 landowners to halt construction of a four-state oil pipeline.
The entire $3.8 billion pipeline, which will transport up to 570,000 barrels of oil daily from North Dakota to IL, is scheduled to be in operation in November.
“We have to play by the rules the federal government has given us”, David Archambault II, chairman of the Standing Rock Sioux Tribe, told PBS NewsHour.
About 30 people have been arrested in recent weeks, and the Texas-based company has temporarily stopped construction.
The project is being developed by Dakota Access, LLC, a subsidiary of Energy Transfer Crude Oil Company. The tribe sued over the Army Corps’ approval of the pipeline without a comprehensive environmental and archeological review.
Standing Rock Sioux tribal members say they fear the pipeline near their reservation’s boundary could rupture and contaminate their water and disrupt sacred historic sites.
Judge James E. Boasberg from the United States District Court for the District of Columbia said he will make a decision about the .7 billion dollar Dakota Access Pipeline on or before September 9.
North Dakota Gov. Jack Dalrymple declared a state of emergency August 19, seemingly accusing the protesters of unlawful actions and stating they cause “a significant public safety concern”.
One of the biggest things people have been telling me here is that they’ve noticed just a great sense of community among the protesters.
“This is our homeland”, said Phyllis Young, a member of the Standing Rock Sioux. “We’re not against the construction crews – we know they are just trying to make a living”. Energy Transfer Partners says it has the necessary state and federal permits and hopes to finish construction by the end of the year. Parks were closed and roadblocks were set up to the Cannon Ball Camp in Standing Rock.
With colorful signs, songs and prayer, local Natives, Nebraska tribal leaders and others gathered at the Capitol Wednesday to show support for protesters hundreds of miles to the north.
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“This puts all of their lifestyle in jeopardy”, said Allison Renville, 32, an Oyate Sioux from South Dakota who has attended the protests.
