Today we live in an oil-fueled world. Nearly 100% of all mechanics in the world are run by some sort of oil-based fuel, which means that there is a need for production of oil and when there is a need for the production of oil there is a need to transport it. Many reading this right now may be thinking, "Oh, this a pro pipeline article.", but that is not the case. While there may be a need to transport oil there is no safe way to do so. That being said, today, we’ll be looking at how the pipelines are detrimental to the environment, even though, they may be a safer option then other methods of transportation, such as by train. Although, pipeline spills are far more damaging than any other method of transportation. To start let’s take a look at how an online dictionary defines what an oil pipeline is. A pipeline is a long tubular conduit or series of pipes, often underground, with pumps and valves for flow control, used to transport crude oil, natural gas, water, etc., especially over great distances.

Let’s start out by establishing what exactly has been going on in the current news. For the most part, you are likely to have heard about the DAPL protests. It’s a hot topic in the news that is going to keep gaining more heat as the building continues. The protests are a result of Native American and environmentalists' concerns that the pipeline is a danger to the environment and that the pipeline would be crossing into sacred burial grounds. Now, the company in charge of the pipeline has said that it would not enter sacred burial grounds, but they never addressed the environment. This is what happens commonly when it comes to pipelines, they’ll attempt to address as many problems as they can, but will try to avoid the major one, the environment. In more recent news, the controversy is now about how the Trump administration has undone the work of the Obama administration, and has allowed the continuation of the building of the pipeline. While this goes on there is also the construction of the Keystone XL pipeline. Both pipelines in the end have the same overall effects on the environment, a pipeline is a pipeline no matter how different they may look, they can still cause the exact same amount of damage as each other if not more. The main point of the protests has been to stop pipeline production entirely for the better of the environment and to respect the wishes of the Native Americans. Unfortunately, the building goes on even to this very moment and that is where the main problem lies. Another point that also goes hand in hand with protest is the advertisement for clean energy, while oil is protested due to its damaging effects to the environment, other options of energy are also explored.

Those who are in favor of the pipeline argue the same thing over and over again, which is typically that the construction and running of the pipelines will create more jobs. In “Energy Transfer Announces Receipt of Easement From Army Corps of Engineers On Land Adjacent to Lake Oahe,”Energy Transfer Partners, L.P. covers the many benefits of the pipeline and addresses it’s safety. The author of this article is a very credible source, the author is Energy Transfer Partners, L.P. the company who is funding and in charge of the construction of the DAPL pipeline. It’s important to know what their ideas are and what their primary goal is for the pipeline, because they do address real benefits from it and they may even address some problems with it. Although, there are companies and supporters of pipelines who do honestly acknowledge the effects that are caused by the pipelines. Lehigh University author Marcellus Shale wrote that sometimes, subsidiary sections of pipelines such as pressure stations add to the pollution; companies need to take approaches to not just limit the oil and natural gas released into the ecosystem, but also the other chemicals released by the tools used. He is basically acknowledging that yes, pipelines do need to stay more on track and be stricter with themselves.

The oil companies often try to defend the pipeline industries by trying to support how they safe they are. Energy Transfer Partners, L.P. states that The Dakota Access Pipeline is the safest and most environmentally sensitive way to transport crude oil from domestic wells to American consumers. This statement is a true fact even when checked with anti-pipeline cites. Pipelines are undoubtedly the safest way to transport oil. If its moved via semi there is the chance of a car accident spilling the oil, if it’s by train there is the chance of derailment, and if it’s by boat there is always the chance it could sink for whatever reason. Pipelines are set in a single place therefore the chance of an accident like that are slim, the only problem is pipelines aren’t invincible and they do on occasion break. Pipelines are also opportunity for employment, it can take a very large number of people to build and maintain a pipeline once it is constructed. By building it, the pipeline could positively affect the economy and it will also get oil faster to production companies. These are all nice benefits that many would enjoy to have, but are they worth the cost of more valuable things.

There is so much more supporting the pro-pipeline side then there is the anti-pipeline side. There are fewer supporters for the anti-pipeline side, because there are in fact large factions of Americans, who do not believe in climate change. Rather than believe in that, they believe that it’s just the world going through the motions. The main arguments of the anti-pipeline faction are that it is detrimental to the environment, it is moving in the wrong direction as in away from clean, renewable energy, damaging to the climate, put citizens at risk, and put’s animals, some endangered and some not at risk. As you can see the list of cons is already greater than the list of pros. One of the best articles I found that supported the anti-pipeline faction was, “4 Key Impacts of the Keystone XL and Dakota Access Pipelines” from National Geographic, it’s a great article that covers the main impact of the pipeline while comparing some of the benefits to the consequences. Two other articles that really helped argue that pipelines aren’t worth building are, “Here's What You Need To Know About The Dakota Pipeline Protest,” via the Huffington post, and “The Future of Pipelines in America” from Lehigh University. Both articles support the idea that pipelines do not help the environment, but in fact, make it worse and that the consequences outweigh the benefits.

One of the major issues to address that is associated with any major pipeline or any method of transporting oil is that of the species that are affected if a spill were to occur, or as a result of construction of the pipeline. Heather Brady of National Geographic states that there are nine threatened, endangered, and candidate species in the areas the DAPL would run through, according to an environmental assessment by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service published in May 2016. 9 species that are either endangered or threatened reside in the area in which the DAPL pipeline runs, which would mean if a spill were to occur not only would the cleanup be focused on saving that land and water, but also these nine threatened species. Humanity has already been the cause of many extinctions, we need to preserve the earth for other generations and that means saving the wildlife that is here too. From personal experience, I have seen an animal soaked in oil and it is one of the saddest sights you will ever see, that being said, it is critically important that we protect our native wildlife in the area, another strike against pipelines.

Another major issue of the pipeline is its effect on people. Pipeline spills are known for ruining water during spills and ruining anything that may live in that water. The Huffington Post stated that protesters, who include representatives of more than 200 other tribes, identify themselves as “water protectors” and contend that the pipeline would disturb sacred lands and burial grounds and would likely harm the Missouri River, which provides the tribe’s drinking water. Many of the protestors from local areas in ND who are close to the DAPL pipeline went to protest in order to protect their source of drinking water, primarily those who live on the reservation. Protecting drinking water is an important thing today, now that there is so much polluted beyond the point of return. It is true pipelines put any body of water at risk and the Missouri river at that is such a large and historic one that if a spill were to seep into it the effects would be devastating. The Missouri river is home to some species of endangered fish, such as the sturgeon and paddlefish and it would be a shame to see them go extinct as a result of human error and arrogance. Chief Seattle spoke these words in a letter to President Franklin Pierce, if all the beasts were gone, man would die from a great loneliness of spirit. For whatever happens to the beasts, soon happens to man. All things are connected. In this letter the Chief is describing to the president what will happen when the animals are killed off, which is precisely why we need to change and stop oil. If the environment dies we will too.

The articles from which I did most of my research included in this commentary, were very strong reliable sources. They provided insight into both the opposing and favoring sides. They both carried very valuable and important points, but when the overall picture is put into place, we can see that the use of fossil fuels in general is bad and damaging. Looking to the future, fossil fuels will run out one day and we will have to rely on renewable energy, but why not now? We can now, it just takes YOU to help fight fossil fuels and pipelines at that. Whether your signing a petition, contacting your local or state representatives, or even calling the Army Corps of Engineers. Just remember we only have one world and its hurting right now, but you can help by fighting pipelines and fossil fuels. To contact the Army Corps of engineering call (202) 761-8700 or to contact them about another pipeline visit their website and/ or to start a petition visit Change.org.