By Jenna Marcus
The motion to halt construction of the Dakota Access Pipeline has recently been denied despite the continuous efforts of the Standing Rock Sioux Tribe.
The 1,172-mile long crude oil pipeline will damage and destroy sites of great historic, religious, economic, spiritual, and cultural significance to the tribe, who are descendants of the peoples of the Great Sioux Nation, and in addition will have a significant impact on the environment, ecology, and animals of the region.
The tribe has expressed these environmental concerns in addition to the aforementioned significance of the lands. They wish to preserve the quality of the land, water, air, fauna, and flora within the their traditional territory, both inside and outside of the designated Reservation. The habitats and well-being of wildlife species, such as piping plovers, least tern, Dakota skipper, pallid sturgeon, and bald eagles, among others, are at stake, while aquatic animals especially are further threatened with the possibility of oil spills and leaks.
Hope for the Sioux did arise after a brief suspension of construction under Lake Oahe, a crucial water source for the Sioux, in order to review federal laws. After the temporary halt, tribal council spokesman Dave Archambault ecstatically exclaimed, “Native peoples have suffered generations of broken promises, and today, the federal government said that national reform is needed to better ensure that tribes have a voice on infrastructure projects like this pipeline.” Their voices being heard and the prospects of preservation were greatly celebrated by the Sioux.
However, the euphoria was short-lived. The decision has just been made to continue with development. Laws cited by the Sioux such as the National Environmental Policy Act, Clean Water Act, Rivers and Harbors Act, and National Historic Preservation Act, have not played a role in the project.
In a questionable statement from a federal judge, the Standing Rock Sioux Tribe’s efforts were rejected as they failed to show that they “will suffer injury that would be prevented by any injunction the court could issue.”
The pipeline will bring an estimated $156 million in sales and income taxes to state and local governments. It plans to shuttle an estimated 470,000 barrels of crude oil a day, where it will go to markets and refineries across the across the Midwest, East Coast and Gulf Coast from its terminal in Illinois.
The Standing Rock Sioux are not the only ones protesting the development of the Dakota Access Pipeline. Over 200 other Native American tribes and 30 environmental groups have supported the Tribe’s efforts to protect its lands, waters, and sacred sites, calling the project “yet another example of an oil pipeline project being permitted without public engagement or sufficient environmental review.”‘
