As we bask in the afterglow of Thanksgiving, the irony of a holiday celebrating the seeming goodwill between the Native American and European settlers is not lost on those protesting the Dakota Access Pipeline. This 3.7 billion dollar project has been a subject of contention since its approval back in July. The pipeline is proposed to carry 450,000 barrels of Bakken crude oil from North Dakota to Illinois, with 200 water crossings including the Mississippi River and the Ogallala Aquifer. This monstrous project threatens to contaminate wildlife, drastically affect water quality, has begun construction without completing a full Environmental Impact Statement, will have limited job creation opportunities, will cost taxpayers time/money for clean-ups, and has not consulted the Standing Rock Sioux Tribe and the Yankton Sioux Tribe (whose people will be majorly affected by the pipeline) prior to construction.
The protests at the Standing Rock Indian Reservation in North Dakota have drawn thousands of protesters from across the country and has garnered international attention, especially considering the multiple arrests and hostile treatment by the federal authorities. Protesters have had to endure tear gas, rubber bullets, and have been hosed down in subzero weather. Recently, the Army Corps of Engineers addressed the Standing Rock Sioux leaders to shut down one of their camps by December 5. In response, the protesters have chosen to remain steadfast and continued to occupy the land through Thursday’s Thanksgiving.
The “water protectors” opposing the Dakota Pipeline have demonstrated an inflexible strength in the face of intimidation and disregard of their land and culture. However, they were also able to hold out for so long because of the support and aid they’ve received from others. Here are a few things you yourself can do to help:
1. Educate yourself on the issues
Learn more about the Dakota Access Pipeline, the threats it poses to the land, and the people protesting the project. You can’t truly fight for a cause that you know nothing about.
2. Donate
You can donate to the Standing Rock Sioux here or the Sacred Stone Legal Defense Fund here. You can also donate items on the Sacred Stone Camp Supply List or their Amazon Wish List.
3. Contact Officials
- Call the White House at (202) 456-1111 or (202) 456-1414 and tell President Obama to overturn the Army Corps of Engineers’ Permit for the Dakota Access Pipeline
- Call the Army Corps of Engineer’s themselves and demand that they reverse the pipeline’s building permits at (202) 761-5903
- Call North Dakota governor Jack Dalrymple at (701)-328-2200
- Call or email executives building the pipeline including:
- Lee Hanse, executive vice president: (210) 403-6455, Lee.Hanse@energytransfer.com
- Glenn Emery, vice president: (210) 403-6762, Glenn.Emery@energytransfer.com
- Michael Cliff Waters, lead analyst: (713) 989-2404
Be sure to remain professional when contacting these officials.
The Dakota Access Pipeline endangers the livelihood of a group of people who have been marginalized since this country's inception. It’s time we stop feeling empty sentiment and start supporting the fight for preservation and survival.
#NODAPL
