In the summer of 2014, the Dakota Access Pipeline project was first introduced to the public as a 1,172-mile-long, underground oil pipeline for crude oil, that would begin in the oil fields of North Dakota, pass through South Dakota and Iowa, and end in Pakota, Illinois. Since then, there have been clashing opinions, on whether or not it is the ethical thing to do.
On Sunday December 4th, Army Corps of Engineers, under the Obama Administration put a halt to the DAPL. However, with president-elect Donald Trump, beginning his first term in office, this is not necessarily good news to those who oppose the pipeline. President-elect, Donald Trump has expressed his support for the DAPL, and many fear that this celebration is only temporary. So why should you still care?
Although many argue that there is no guarantee that a spill would occur, there have been times where spills have occurred due to a broken pipeline in North Dakota. In 2013, a Tesoro Logistics pipeline in North Dakota ruptured, spilling 865,000 gallons of oil onto a farm. In 2010, an Enbridge Energy pipeline spilled more than 843,000 gallons of oil into the Kalamazoo River in Michigan, resulted in a major cleanup that took years and over a billion dollars. For months Standing Rock Sioux, along with tribes all across the country have come together outside of the town of Cannon Ball, in North Dakota, to protest the pipeline. Hundreds have gathered from across the country, to protect the land. The basis of their argument stands on the belief that a major spill could impact not only the lands their ancestors lived on, but the environment, important structures and monuments, sacred to its people, overall have detrimental effects that would impact all people.
However, Energy Transfer, the firm responsible for the construction of the pipeline, says that they are not quite giving it up just yet. It argues that the it would only pump millions of dollars into local economies and create 8,000 to 12,000 construction job, although there is no evidence on whether these jobs would be permanent or temporary.
Farmers too are weighing in on the topic. On a profitability standpoint, easements paid would typically outweigh lost crop profit potential, but others, do not think that the pros outweigh the cons. During the construction of the pipeline, many farmlands have been altered, and that has left farmers with a negative view of Transfer Energy. Because it requires the digging up of soil, often times, it is not restored how it was found. The problem with that, is that the rich topsoil is being returned, mixed with the clay loam and hard clay from underneath, which ultimately means bad news for farmers. A spill or leak would also destroy their crops and only create financial burdens.
Unfortunately, these groups of people would not be the only ones who would suffer consequences if president-elect Donald Trump decides to continue the building of the pipeline. Perhaps we can be thrilled that these efforts have caused change, but for now, we cannot know for certain if this change will be long term.
Those who do not learn history are doomed to repeat it. We have seen the environmental impacts that oil spills have had on the environment, the damage it has done to wildlife, and to humankind as well. These efforts to halt the pipeline have not been in vain, however there is still a lot of work that needs to be done. The fight continues, and this should be something that all people should care about. Why wait until we see the irreversible effects of this error? Once the profits have all been washed away, and our resources depleted, it will be too late to care. So listen to the warnings, and educate yourselves, know that your voice and actions do make a difference, why not make that difference be one that everyone can benefit from and celebrate at the end of the day?
