Last week, The Fault in Our Stars actress Shailene Woodley live-streamed her arrest at a peaceful protest against the Dakota Access Pipeline. In the video, she argued with the cops and her audience that she was singled out and was arrested instead of the other hundreds of people there solely because of her fame--"It's because I have 40,000 people watching". While her arrest was unfortunate and arguably unfair, her fame was absolutely essential in bringing this cultural, political, and environmental issue to public knowledge.
So, what is the Dakota Access Pipeline, and why is it so controversial? According to its website, it's a 1,172 mile long pipeline being built by the Energy Transfer Partners oil company. Its goal is to transport domestically produced oil from North Dakota through South Dakota, Iowa, and Illinois to reach major refining markets in a direct and cheap way without the use of trains and trucks. According to developers, it would have the capability to transport 470,000 to 570,000 barrels of crude oil per day. Sounds efficient, right?
But what the website doesn't mention is the spiritual and cultural significance of the grounds which the pipeline will pass through. While the Native American ground is federally protected, the pipeline is set to be built under everything from ancient burial grounds to sacred sites. Most significantly, the pipeline would pass right under the Missouri River at Lake Oahe, where a spill would be catastrophic for the environment, the drinking water, the economy, and the culture of the surrounding tribe, the Standing Rock Sioux.
The Standing Rock Sioux has a population of 8,250 and occupies the sixth largest land-size Indian reservation in the United States. The tribe's public health, water supply, and culture is directly affected by the project, and therefore both indigenous members and other environmentalists have been protesting since April. Since then, the Standing Rock Reservation has become an encampment of protesters facing off with the oil company. Since August, 123 mostly Native Americans have been arrested and charged with engaging in a riot and criminally trespassing. But really, who is trespassing here?
The biggest concern on all sides of the issue is communication. Federal law requires a "good faith effort" for the oil company to consult with the natives of the area, but the tribes have claimed they were denied the opportunity to give meaningful input. As of now, a whole lot of money is on the line, but so is the environment, culture, and history of a federally protected people.
The Federal Government has stepped in and paused construction for 20 miles directly around Lake Oahe, and there is currently a standoff preventing the project from being completed. We'll see what happens from here, but hopefully celebrities like Shailene Woodley will continue to use their fame to bring the issue to light.
