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TheDakotaAccessPipeline

Citizen'sOpenForumSeptember16,2016

AnnHunter

TheStandingRockSiouxTribe,joinedbymanymanyotherindigenousnations,

environmentalists,politicians,celebrities,andotherpeople,opposesthe

constructionoftheDakotaAccessPipeline,amultibilliondollarprojectofEnergy

TransferPartnersLP.thatwilladdanotherpipelinetothosethatalreadybring

crudeoilfromtheBakkenshaleformationtostoragefacilitiesnearSt.Louisand

ultimatelytorefineriesintheGulfofMexico.

SpecificallyStandingRock,whichislocatedalongtheMissouriRiversouthof

BismarckNorthDakota,straddlingtheborderbetweenNorthandSouthDakota

opposestheportionthatrunswithin1/2mileofitsreservationandunderLake

Oahe,anartificiallakecreatedatthejunctionoftheCannonballRiverandthe

Missouri.ThepipelinecrossestheMissouriatthispoint.Theareaisasacredsitefor

theSioux,aswellasasourceoftheirwatersupply.EnergyTransferPartners,the

developer,claimsthattheyhavegottenallthepermitstheyneed,thatthe$3.8

billionpipelineis60%completeandtheyneedtofinishit.

Thepipelineisplannedtorunforover1,000miles,throughtheDakotas,Iowa,and

Illinois,mostlyunderprivateland,butalsounderbodiesofwaterincludingthe

MissouriandtheMississippiaswellasmanysmallerriversandcreeks,triggering

theneedforfederalpermits.However,whilenaturalgaspipelinesrequirestringent

permittingprocedures,crudeoilpipelinesdonot.AfullEIShasneverbeen

completedforthisprojectasawhole.

IndigenouspeoplesfromthroughouttheUSandCanadaandevenfromasfaraway

asSouthAmericaaresupportingtheStandingRockSioux,joinedby

environmentalistswhoopposethepipelineasanenvironmentalthreat.Theyhave

setupanencampmentattheconstructionsitecalledtheSacredStoneCamp.Ithas

grownto1,000people.GatheringsinsupportoftheSiouxhavebeenheld

throughouttheUSandCanada.SupportersoftheStandingRockTribeinclude

350.org,Greenpeace,theSierraClub,VeteransforPeace,andmanymanyother

organizations.IndividualsupportersincludeBernieSanders,JillStein,JoanBaez,

LeonardDiCaprio,etc.etc.Oppositiontotheprojectcontinuestogrow.

Thecompanyproceededwithconstructioneventhoughthetribepointedouta

burialsitethatwouldbedestroyediftheywentanyfarther.Tribalmembersand

theirsupportersresistedpeacefully,callingthemselvesprotectors,notprotestors.

SecurityguardsprovidedbyG4S,usedmaceandsetdogsonthem,asdocumented

onvideoandbroadcastonDemocracyNow.(AmyGoodmannowhasawarrantout

forherarrestforcoveringtheprotest.)Thecompanyclaimsthatprotestors,who

callthemselvesprotectors,attackedtheguardsanddogs.(bearinmindthatinsome

casesdogsattackedchildrenwhoseparentswerepresent.)

Thetribefiledarequestforapreliminaryinjunction,allegingthatthefederal

permitsrequiredfortheprojectwereissuedillegally.AfederaljudgeinDCdenied

theinjunctiononFridaySept.9.Naturalgaspipelinesrequireextensivefederal

appraisal&permitting.Domesticoilpipelinesdonoandthejudgepointedoutthat

DAPL"needsalmostnofederalpermittingofanykindbecause99%ofitsroute

traversesprivateland."Theexceptionisthatitinvolvesconstructioninfederally

regulatedwatersathundredsofplacesalongitsroute.TheArmyCorpsofEngineers

hadtopermitthisactivityundertheCWAand/ortheRiversandHarborsAct.It

issuedageneralpermit,NationwidePermit12.

ButStandingRocksaystheCorpsviolatedtheNationalEnvironmentalProtection

ActandtheNationalHistoricProtectionAct,aswellasotherfederalstatutes.The

preliminaryinjunctionwassoughtonlybasedonNHPA,whichrequiresconsulting

withtribesbeforeissuingpermitsthatmightaffecthistoricresources.Thecourt

rulingclaimsthatthetribedidnotactinatimelymannertorequestconsultation

aboutculturalresourcesnearLakeOahe.

However,assoonastherequestforaninjunctionwasdenied,threefederal

agencies,DOJ,Interior,andtheArmyCorps,steppedin.Theycalledforconstruction

tostoppendingaseriousdiscussionregardingnotonlythispipelinebutwhether

reformisneededintheprocessforconsideringtribalviewsonpipelinerelated

infrastructuredecisionmakingingeneral.Constructionwashaltedintheimmediate

vicinityofLakeOahe.

PresidentObamaaskedEnergyTransferPartnerstostopconstructionfora20mile

radiusaroundthesite,pendingfurtherproceedings.Thecompanyhasnot

respondedtohisrequest,buttheysaythattheirCEOwillmeetwithfederalofficials

andtheprojectwillgoforward.Theencampmentcontinuesandpeopletheresay

theyarepreparedtostaythroughthewinter.Itisunclearwhatthediscussionwith

federalofficialswilllooklike,althoughmostpeopleseeitasapositivestepanda

victoryfortribalsovereignty.Inthemeantime,thegovernorofNorthDakotahas

activatedtheNationalGuardandmadeanumberofarrests.TheU.ofColoradoLaw

SchoolAmericanIndianLawProgramiscoordinatingalegalresponseforthose

arrestedorinjuredintheprotest.

ThePresidentoftheAmericanPetroleumInstitution,JackGerard,saysthatObama's

requestshowsthattheUnitedStatesnolongerhonorstheruleoflaw.Heclaimsthat

haltingthispipelinewillhaveachillingeffectontheUSeconomy.TheAFL-CIOalso

supportsthepipelineonthetheorythatitwillcreatejobs.Thestatementontheir

webpagesaysthat"pipelineconstructionandmaintenanceprovidesqualityjobsto

tensofthousandsofskilledworkers."TheysaytheDakotaAccessPipelineis

providingover4,500high-quality,familysupportingjobs.Ontheotherhand,the

CommunicationsWorkersofAmerica,affiliatedwiththeAFL-CIO,supportsthe

StandingRockSiouxTribe.Itappearstobetruethattheconstructionprocessis

creatinglargenumbersofjobs,withlotsofovertime,butoncecompleted,one

estimatesaysthatitwillonlycreate40permanentjobs.

PeoplearealsoactivelyprotestingtheIowaportionofthepipeline,wherethe

state'sutilityboardhasallowedEnergyTransfersLPtoacquirepropertythrough

eminentdomain,affectinghundredsoflandowners.Agroupofthoselandowners

aresuingtheutilityboardbasedona2006lawthatissupposedtoprotectproperty

frombeingseizedforprivatedevelopment.Protestershavebeenarrestedthereas

well.

WhydotheSiouxatStandingRockhaveculturalartifactsandhistoricand

sacredlocationsoutsidetheboundsoftheStandingRockreservation?

TheStandingRockReservationwasoriginallypartofthemuchlargerGreatSioux

ReservationestablishedbytheTreatyofFortLaramieofApril29,1868,which

encompassedallofpresentdaySouthDakotawestoftheMissouri,andwaslater

extendednorthtotheCannonballRiver,includingtheMissouriRiveritselfandthe

BlackHills.Italsoincludedasvasthuntingrightsoffthereservation.Further

cessionshadtobeapprovedby3/4oftheadultmenoftheSioux.Butin1874,gold

wasdiscoveredintheBlackHills,andin1877,CongressappropriatedtheBlack

HillswithouttheSioux'sconsent.

Congressfurtherreducedthereservationin1889,dividingitintosixsmaller

reservations,includingStandingRock,andaddingsomeNorthDakotalandto

StandingRock.About9millionacres,halfoftheoriginalGreatSiouxReservation

wasthen"openedup"andsoldbythegovernmenttoranchersandhomesteaders.

Therailroadsfacilitatedthisprocess,encouragingpeopletofarmonthearidland,

withpredictableresults.(Disclosure:Mygreat-grandfatherandgrandfatherworked

fortheChicagoMilwaukeeSt.PaulRRdoingthiskindofthing.)TheLakotatribes

receivedsmallpaymentsthatweremostlyoffsetagainstagencyexpenses.

ThelandsstillheldbytribeswerefurtherbrokenupandreducedbytheDawes

AllotmentAct,whichallocatedsmallholdingstoindividualtribalmembersandsold

offthesocalledsurplustonon-natives.Theactalsomadetheindividuallyheld

landssubjecttosalebytheowners,inevitablyfurtherreducingthelandinIndian

ownership.Thegovernmentcontinuedtoclaimthattheindividualparcelswere

suitableforfarming,butthisdidnotworkanybetterfortheLakotathanforthe

homesteaders.Bythe1930s,DustBowlconditionsprevailedinmuchofthearea.

Manyhomesteadersabandonedtheirparcels,butthegovernmentdidnotgivethem

backtotheLakota,insteadretainingthemorsellingthem.

WhyConstructthisPipeline?

BakkenOilShaleunderliespartsofMontana,NorthDakota,Saskatchewan

andManitoba.Ithasnosurfaceoutcropping.Thereare7.4billionbarrelsof

recoverableoilthereaccordingtotheUSGeologicalService(2013).Frackingand

horizontaldrillingtechniqueshavecreatedaboominproductionsince2000,

makingtheBakkenformationoneofthemainnewsourcesofoilintheUS,more

than10%ofallproduction.FrackingisalsobeingusedintheportionsoftheBakken

fieldinCanada,thoughnotonthesamescale.

Productionisalreadyat458,000barrelsaday,outstrippingexistingpipeline

capacitytoshiptheoilout,andrailshippinghassafetyissues.(Sodopipelinesin

reality.)TheLac-Megaticraildisasteroccurredwhenanoiltrainoverturnedwhile

shippingoilfromN.DakotathroughQuebectoarefineryinNewBrunswick.Bakken

oilcatchesfiremoreeasilythanoilrecoverdbyothermethods,butithadbeen

mislabeledaslowerriskoil,contributingtothedisaster.Thereisonlyonerefinery

inthearea.ThusEnergyTransferclaimsthatDakotaAccessLLCclaimsthatthe

pipelinewillimprovepublicsafetyandhelptheUStobeenergyindependent.

Theoilshaleboomhasbroughtmoneytothosewithmineralrights,soNorth

Dakota'spercapitaGDPisnow29%abovethenationalaverage,butithasalsoled

toastrainonwatersuppliesandinfrastructure,includinghousingandgovernment

services.Crimeandsocialproblemshaveincreased.

LocationofthePipeline

Route:theplanisthatthepipelinewillrunundergroundfor1,134milesto

bringoilfromtheBakkenoilfieldsinNWNorthDakotabeginninginStanley,ND

andendingalittleeastofSt.LouisinPatoka,Illinois,(population633in2000),just

southofRte70,endingatthePatokatankfarm.InPatokaitissupposedtoconnect

withapipelinetotheGulfCoastforstorage,orforrefinementandexport,orbe

shippedbyrailtoEastcoastmarkets.Itwillrunacrosslandsownedorhistorically

occupiedbyseveralFirstNationsintheDakotasandIowa,includingtheStanding

RockSioux,otherSiouxnations,andtheMeskwaki.

LocationofStandingRock.Source:Oilprice.com

LakeOaheisthestretchoftheMissourithatisturnedintoaLakebyOaheDam.

Builder:DakotaAccess,LLC,asubsidiaryoftheDallas,TXcompanyEnergy

TransferPartners,LP.,aFortune500companythatproducesnaturalgasand

propane.ItownspartofSunocoandSouthernUnionCompany.

Cost:$3.7billion.AccordingtoWikipedia,itwillcreate40permanentjobs.

Predecessors:

MapofExistingOilandGasPipelinesinNorthAmerica-source:Theodora.com

Green=oil

Red=gas

Blue=productssuchasgasolineandethylene

Dottedline=underconstruction

ExistingPipelinesbetweenNorthDakotaandSt.Louis

TheKeystonePipelinePhaseIalreadycarriesoilfromAlbertatoPatokaviaa

junctioninSteeleCityNE.ItalsorunsfromSteeleCitytoanothertankfarmin

Cushing,OKandfromCushingtorefineriesinPortArthurTX.TheKeystone

PipelinePhase4wouldhaverunfromHardistyAlbertatoSteeleCityNebraska,

improvinganexistingpipebyincreasingthediameterandfollowingashorterroute.

InSteeleCityitwouldhavehookeduptotheexistingpiperunningtoPatokaIllinois.

ItwouldhaverunthroughBaker,MontanaandpickedupBakkenoilthere.On

November6,2015,theObamaadministrationrejectedit.

TheSandpiperpipelinehasbeenproposedtorunfromtheNDBakkenfieldsto

SuperiorWI.TheNDPublicServiceCommissionapproveditin2014,butits

decisionwasoverturnedinSeptember2015.InMinnesota,theMinnesotaCt.of

AppealsoverruledtheMinnesotaPublicUtilitiesCommission'sapprovalofthe

project.Enbridge,themainowner,claimsthatSandpiperservesapublicbenefitand

thusisa"statutorilydefinedpublicutility,"makingit"immaterialthatprivate

interestsarealsoserved."Enbridgesaysitisnecessarytomeetthe"demand"for

Bakkenoil.TheWhiteEarthIndianReservationsaysthatSandpiperwouldcrossit,

andopposesit.Enbridgeclaimsthatitdoesnotcrossthereservation.

Enbridge,aCanadianpipelinecompany,alreadycompletedapipelinein2013,

takingNorthDakotaoilintoCanadawhereithooksuptoEnbridge'smainpipeline

totheUSMidwest.Apparentlythereisnoinfrastructureforproducingand

exportingBakkennaturalgas,soitisburnedoff(accordingtoWikipedia)costing

$100million/month.

BreakingNews:

The"ColonialPipeline,"whichtransportsgasolinefromHoustontoNewYorkand

theeasternUS,hasrupturedinShelbyCounty,ALspillingabout250,000gallons

andcausingshortagesforsomegasstations.

HowtosupportStandingRock:Asimplewayistogotothetribalwebsiteat

www.standingrock.organdusethePayPalbuttontodonatedirectlytotheTribes

ownDakotaAccessPipelineDonationFund.Ormailadonationto:

StandingRockSiouxTribe

Attention:Donations

POBoxD

Building#1

NorthStandingRockAvenue

FortYates,ND58538

PleasemakecheckspayabletoStandingRockSiouxTribe-Donations

Donationswillbeusedforlegal,sanitaryandemergencypurposes!