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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!