A rally will be held Tuesday in Boulder to show solidarity with the Standing Rock Sioux in North Dakota, who are protesting a four-state oil pipeline.
Advertisement
The lawsuit alleged that the pipeline, which would be placed less than a mile upstream of the reservation, could impact drinking water for more than 8,000 tribal members and millions who rely on it downstream. Before speaking to the crowd, Archambault told reporters that the pipeline fight is a long way from over, but called the federal announcement “a attractive start”.
“The Corps will continue to assess and possibly revise this position in consideration of public safety concerns”, the agency said in court records.
“Our message is heard, and it’s going to go a long way”, Archambault said.
People rally on the grounds of the state Capitol in Bismarck, N.D., Friday, Sept. 9, 2016, following a federal judge’s ruling in Washington denying a request by the Standing Rock Sioux tribe to halt construction on the Dakota Access pipeline, a thousand-mile pipeline being built to carry North Dakota crude oil across four states to IL.
“Construction of the pipeline on Army Corps land bordering or under Lake Oahe will not go forward at this time”, said a joint announcement of three federal agencies-U.S. Department of the Interior, Department of Justice, and Army Corps of Engineers.
Craig Stevens, spokesman for the industry-friendly Midwest Alliance for Infrastructure Now (MAIN) said the group was disappointed with Friday’s decision.
“The Guard members will serve in administrative capacities and assist in providing security at traffic information points”, the statement said.
North Dakota’s Historic Preservation Office plans to look into whether bulldozers clearing a path for the Dakota Access Pipeline destroyed burial grounds and other sacred sites identified the day before in a court filing by the Standing Rock Sioux Tribe.
“Having done so, the Court must nonetheless conclude that the Tribe has not demonstrated that an injunction is warranted here”, the decision said.
After Boasberg’s ruling, tribal leaders reportedly filed a notice of appeal on Friday.
They are now accepting supply donations to send to the Standing Rock Sioux Tribe.
Some 200 Native American tribes have united against the 3.2 billion euro project, while proponents claim the construction is the safest way to transport oil. People came from as far as NY and Alaska, some bringing their families and children, and hundreds of tribal flags dotted the camp, along with American flags flown upside-down in protest. John Nelson of Portland, Oregon, came to the camp to support his grandson, Archambault. I have a six year old son, I’m a youth director, I’m surrounded by kids and I want to pass the world onto them. The Great Plains Tribal Chairmans Association has asked the federal Justice Department to send monitors to the site because it said racial profiling is occurring.
Thirty-eight people have been arrested at the protests, Native News Online reports. They have been camped out at the site for months, and they call themselves “water protectors”, not protesters.
The majority owners of the DAPL are Energy Transfer Partners L.P. (NYSE: ETP) and Sunoco Logistics Partners L.P. (NYSE: SXL).
Advertisement
The Corps called on Dakota Access to halt work on other land, as well, but as of Friday afternoon Dakota Access has not said whether it would comply with the request.
