Just a few days ago, on November 4, the Paris Agreement on Climate Change took effect, a critical political signal from governments and peoples across the world that everyone is united in the fight against climate change.
As this happens, another fight rages in Standing Rock Sioux Indian Reservation in North Dakota in the United States. Despite unreliable phone service and problematic wifi signal, the story of the Dakota Access Pipeline (DAPL) protests were beamed to the world through social media channels, with hashtags such as #NoDAPL. This grassroots fight has become a symbol for “indigenous rights and climate change activism”1 and has mobilized support from different parts of the world and even celebrities.
Related Post: The Lay Person’s Guide to the Paris Agreement & UN Development Goals
On 05 November, more than 4,000 people took to the streets in Toronto, Canada in support of the Standing Rock Sioux.2 People from all over the world have sent messages of support online, used Facebook’s “check in” feature to confuse police who are allegedly monitoring protesters via said tool, and signed online campaigns. Hollywood stars such as, Leonardo DiCaprio, Pharrell Williams, Rosario Dawson and Avengers stars Mark Ruffalo, Chris Hemsworth, Samuel L. Jackson and Chris Evans have lent their star power to generate support for the DAPL protesters. Divergent star Shailene Woodley was even among those arrested during a protest.3
The Dakota Access Pipeline
The DAPL is a $3.7-billion, 1,168-mile underground oil pipeline project designed to transport crude oil from the Bakken oil field in North Dakota to Illinois. Energy Transfer Partners will be building the pipeline across the Missouri River, near the Standing Rock Reservation.4 The construction of the pipeline is critical as it will transport as much as 570,000 barrels of crude oil to important consumer markets such as the Gulf Coast, Midwest and East Coast.5
Protests against the DAPL
The Standing Rock Sioux Tribe, Native Americans and other supporters have been protesting against the DAPL project since April this year.
Time Magazine reported that the protests are based on four important points:
- The pipeline will be built under the Missouri River which is the main drinking water source of the Standing Rock Sioux. Any oil spill, even the smallest leak, can contaminate the water. According to the Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration (PHMSA), since 2010, there have been more than 3,300 incidents of leaks and ruptures at oil and gas pipelines;
- The construction of the pipeline will desecrate and destroy their tribal artifacts and sacred sites, including a sacred burial ground;
- The Standing Rock Sioux argue that they were never consulted by the federal government during the permitting process, an argument being countered by the Army Corps of Engineers, the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia and other government instrumentalities; and
- The pipeline will contribute to climate change by bolstering the U.S. oil infrastructure.6
Recent Developments
In April, the Standing Rock Sioux Tribe and other Native American tribes set up the Sacred Stone Camp when they started their protest. To-date, more camps have been set up to house more protesters. So far, the protesters have remained unarmed and vowed to continue their protests peacefully. However, reports claim of highly militarized police treatment, more than 400 arrests in two clashes in just one week and the use of “pepper spray, rubber bullets, Tasers and other “less-than-lethal” tools.”7 This has led the United Nations to start an investigation into the law enforcement activities in North Dakota.
The Standing Rock Tribe has also started legal proceedings against the Army Corps of Engineers for allegedly violating the National Historic Preservation Act (NHPA) and the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA). In this instance, the federal court has ruled that the Army Corps of Engineers has “likely complied” with the NHPA.8
President Barack Obama, who has voiced his support to the protesters, and the federal government attempted to temporarily halt the DAPL construction. However, the federal court ruled that the project should continue.9
Currently, there is no end in sight for the resolution of the issue. With the U.S. presidential election on Tuesday, it seems that the next President will have to be the one to decisively act on the issue. The important thing to remember is that the pipeline is under the authority of the federal government, as it crosses interstate waterways. With the U.S. commitment to uphold the climate change pact, pulling the plug on the project may be a difficult political action but a landmark one.
