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There are pros and cons to this pipeline. Pro: the U.S. gets more oil. Cons: it goes through the sacred land of the Standing Rock Sioux Tribe and it could contaminate their water sources if the pipeline breaks.

There are other ways to get oil that won't effect the Standing Rock Tribe. The pipeline can either be moved (which is actually what the Department of the Army is currently planning on doing) or it can be transported some other way (like by truck).

I'm on the side of the Standing Rock Tribe. It's their land, they were there first, and we have no right to take it.

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Audio Recording of Myself Explaining the Issue

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Audio Recording of Myself Explaining the Issue

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The Dakota Access Pipeline's Reservation Reroute- The Daily Show (1)

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He is an American singer-songwriter, rapper, and record producer. He is against the construction of the Dakota Access Pipeline.

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He is the chairman of the Standing Rock Sioux Tribe. He is opposed to the construction of the Dakota Access Pipeline.

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An American actress who is opposed to the construction of the Dakota Access Pipeline. She was arrested for protesting the pipeline.

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An American-Indian activist and attorney who is opposed to the construction of the Dakota Access Pipeline.

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Este blog está disponible en español aquí.
Over the past few months, the Dakota Access pipeline and the Standing Rock Sioux tribe that opposes this oil project went from anonymity to full blown national news coverage. Since August, the news media has been reporting on the Native Americans who have gathered in camps in North Dakota to protect sacred land and the Missouri River, the Standing Rock tribe's sole water source. For months, we have been informed only about the most dramatic developments, but I discovered after a visit to the Sacred Stone camp two weeks ago that public understanding of what this movement is all about is based on misrepresentations. We are missing how peaceful, respectful and solemn this struggle is.

This is unfortunate because what's happening at the confluence of the Missouri and Cannonball Rivers is a solemn struggle to protect water and culture. As I prepared to make the trip, I read articles about the risks. And I fell for it. When I was flying into Bismarck, North Dakota, with a delegation from GreenLatinos-a group of Latino advocates committed to addressing environmental issues-I was on edge. We had gone to North Dakota to learn how GreenLatinos might be able to help the tribe, yet at first I concentrated on myself. I relentlessly googled "Standing Rock Sioux tribe arrests" and related key terms to figure out where I could or couldn't go and what I could or couldn't do.

But all that anxiety quickly evaporated when I reached the camps. I saw that this assembly of indigenous tribes and supporters is among the most serene and peaceful groups of people I have been around. They are not unified by indignity. What unifies the thousands of water protectors who are bracing for the incoming winter is devotion and prayer. In fact, elders and tribal leaders told us repeatedly that tribal camps aren't protests; these are ceremonies being held at a sacred place. And, they told us, they expect the behavior of their brothers and sisters to reflect that.

Even when we were talking about politics, the sacredness of it all was what tribe members conveyed as important. The respect of the people overcame any thought of animosity, and the solemnity of the place and the need to protect nature inspired peaceful unity. This indigenous vision of sacred air, sacred water and sacred land was striking to me. I live in Washington, D.C., where polarized rhetoric dominates the landscape, and where, since the presidential election season, distasteful attacks are rampant. Visiting the camps and understanding the spirituality driving this struggle against corporate profit was an eye-opening and humbling experience.

Water protectors are constantly looking after one another, helping one another. They may not have a lot, but they are willing to give everything. I learned that not just by seeing how they would offer sweaters or blankets as temperatures dropped into the 20s, but also by listening to their stories. One woman, who is now one of many who prepare meals for the camp for free, told me how she arrived with little besides her eagerness to help cook. She didn't have a stove, yet with people's donations she got everything she needed to help the camp in four days.

I have not seen a single news report that elevates this type of story. That's because peace may be what we value and aspire to as a nation, but peace doesn't generate clicks. Still, peace is what this historic indigenous gathering is all about.

At a time when we know that fake news stories are rampant, I encourage everyone to verify the authenticity of the news they read. Many news reports give the impression that the Standing Rock Sioux tribe's struggle is chaotic and tumultuous. But that's not the case. This movement of solidarity is filled with people who, when asked about what they need, say they need us to pray for them. Pray and do what's right, the elders tell us, noting that they are hopeful about what's to come.

Even with an unfriendly incoming presidential administration, I believe that if we all stand strong with the Standing Rock Sioux, make our voices heard and reach out to our elected officials in Congress, we can protect the river and the land that so many hold sacred.

To learn more about the Standing Rock Sioux Tribe's litigation on the Dakota Access Pipeline, read the latest updates and frequently asked questions.

NOS ESTAMOS PERDIENDO DEL 90 POR CIENTO DE LA HISTORIA DEL OLEODUCTO DAKOTA ACCESS

En los últimos meses, el oleoducto Dakota Access y la tribu Sioux Standing Rock que se opone a este proyecto petrolero, salieron de la anonimidad y han recibido una gran cobertura en los noticieros nacionales. Desde agosto, la prensa ha mostrado a los miles de nativos americanos que se han reunido en campamentos en Dakota del Norte para proteger tierras sagradas y el Río Missouri, la única fuente de agua que abastece a los Standing Rock. Durante ese tiempo la cobertura ha girado únicamente alrededor de los acontecimientos más dramáticos. Sin embargo, tras una visita al campamento de Sacred Stone hace dos semanas, descubrí que la percepción pública de este movimiento nativo está sesgada. Hemos omitido lo pacífico, respetuoso y solemne que es esta asamblea.

Esta percepción errónea es un serio infortunio, ya que lo que está ocurriendo en la confluencia de los ríos Missouri y Cannonball es un necesario intento de proteger el agua y la cultura nativa. No obstante puedo entender el por qué de este sesgo. Mientras me preparaba para realizar el viaje junto con una delegación de GreenLatinos-una asociación de latinos comprometidos a resolver problemas ambientales-, leí varios artículos sobre los riesgos del campamento y terminé creyéndome la falsa retórica popular. En el vuelo hacia Bismarck, la capital de Dakota del Norte, estaba sumamente nervioso. Tanto así que busqué en Google acerca de "arrestos de la tribu Sioux Standing Rock" y otras términos similares para entender adonde podía ir o como debía actuar durante mi estadía.

Toda esta ansiedad rápidamente se evaporó cuando llegué al campamento, y vi un conjunto de tribus indígenas y sus partidarios conviviendo de la manera más cordial y serena. Descubrí entonces que estas personas no están unidas por su aberración a la humillación u atropellos. Lo que une a los miles de estos guardianes del agua es fervor y plegarias. De hecho, los líderes y ancianos tribales nos dijeron varias veces que los campamentos no son protestas; son ceremonias que se están llevando a cabo en un lugar sagrado. Asimismo, nos dijeron que ellos esperan que el comportamiento de sus hermanos y hermanas reflejen esta sagrada esencia.

Incluso cuando estábamos hablando sobre política, la tribu quería transmitir que lo importante era el carácter sagrado de sus acciones e intenciones. El respeto de la gente superaba cualquier idea de enemistad, mientras que la santimonia del lugar y la necesidad de proteger a la naturaleza inspiraban la unión y la paz. Esta visión indígena de que el aire, el agua y la tierra son sagrados me parece impresionante. Especialmente porque yo vivo en Washington, D.C., donde el discurso polarizado domina el entorno, y donde los ataques ideológicos se han vuelto desmesurados a raíz de las elecciones presidenciales. Es por ello que visitar los campamentos y entender la espiritualidad que motiva esta lucha contra las ganancias corporativas fue una experiencia que me abrió los ojos y me ofreció una lección de humildad.

Estos autoproclamados guardianes del agua están constantemente cuidándose y ayudándose unos a otros. Puede que no tengan mucho, pero están dispuestos a darlo todo. Aprendí esto no solamente al ver como cuando las temperaturas bajaban peligrosamente ofrecían suéteres y cobertores, sino también al escuchar sus relatos. Por ejemplo, una mujer que ahora es una de las muchas que preparan comida para el campamento de manera gratuita, me contó como cuando llegó al campamento no tenía nadas más que ganas de ayudar a cocinar. No tenía estufa, ni anafre, sin embargo con los donativos de la gente consiguió todo lo que necesitaba para ayudar son su cocina en cuatro días.

No he visto ninguna noticia en donde se resalte este tipo de historias. Esto es porque la paz que tanto valoramos y aspiramos a tener como nación no genera clicks. Aún así, la paz es de lo que se trata esta reunión de nativos.

En estos tiempos en que sabemos que las noticias ficticias abundan, invito a todos a que verifiquen la autenticidad de las noticias que leen. Muchos reportes dan la impresión que la lucha de la tribu Standing Rock es caótica y agitada. Pero este no es el caso. Este movimiento de solidaridad está lleno de gente que cuando se les pregunta sobre sus necesidades responden que necesitan que oremos por ellos. Orar y hacer lo que es correcto, eso es lo que nos piden los ancianos de la tribu en este momento.

Incluso con una administración presidencial poco amigable como la que se viene, estoy convencido que si nos solidarizamos con la tribu Standing Rock, hacemos que nuestras voces sean escuchadas y contactamos a nuestros funcionarios electos en el Congreso, podremos proteger el río y la tierra que tantos consideran sagrada.

Para mayores detalles sobre el litigio de la Tribu Sioux Standing Rock por el oleoducto Dakota Access, lea las actualizaciones y Preguntas Más Comunes.

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We're Missing 90 Percent of the Dakota Access Pipeline Story

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Este blog está disponible en español aquí. Over the past few months, the Dakota Access pipeline and the Standing Rock Sioux tribe that opposes this oil project went from anonymity to full blown national news coverage.

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Explanation: The Dakota Access Pipeline would destroy the peace between the Standing Rock Tribe and Non-Native Americans and it would violate the land treaty between them.

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Piece Pipe Dakota Access Pipeline Political Cartoon

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Explanation: Non-Native Americans don't understand why it's so important to the Standing Rock Tribe to stop construction of the Dakota access pipeline. Non-Native Americans can't see past why the pipeline would help them to see why it would hurt the Standing Rock Tribe.

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Crude Awakening Dakota Access Pipeline Political Cartoon

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Defend the Sacred Dakota Access Pipeline Image

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Stand with Standing Rock Dakota Access Pipeline Image

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THE OBAMA administration announced Sunday that it is denying an easement needed to build the Dakota Access Pipeline, which would run crude oil from North Dakota to Illinois. The project is mostly built on private land but requires approval from the Army Corps of Engineers to cross federally regulated waters, including Lake Oahe, a section of the Missouri River.

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When injustice aligns with cruelty, and heavy weaponry is involved, the results can be shameful and bloody. Witness what happened on Sunday in North Dakota, when law enforcement officers escalated their tactics against unarmed American Indians and allies who have waged months of protests against the Dakota Access oil pipeline.

They drenched protesters with water cannons on a frigid night, with temperatures in the 20s. According to protesters and news accounts, the officers also fired rubber bullets, pepper spray, concussion grenades and tear gas. More than 160 people were reportedly injured, with one protester's arm damaged so badly she might lose it.

The confrontation happened at Backwater Bridge, on a highway linking the Standing Rock Sioux Reservation and Bismarck, N.D. Burned-out trucks and a police barricade have made the bridge impassable. Protesters say this is a needless threat to public safety - forcing emergency vehicles to detour about 20 miles - as well as a spiteful attempt to keep them away from the pipeline construction site. The violence erupted after some of the protesters tried to remove the truck carcasses on Sunday.

"We're just not going to let people or protesters in large groups come in and threaten officers, that's not happening," said the Morton County sheriff, Kyle Kirchmeier. The Sheriff's Department's Facebook page linked to a video of the armed and armored officers, the water cannon drenching the crowd, and a rock flying overhead.

The pipeline, all but built, is meant to ship crude oil from North Dakota to Illinois. Built almost entirely on private property, the pipeline crosses ancestral lands of the Standing Rock Sioux, passing less than a mile from the tribal reservation. Tribe members fear contamination of their drinking water and damage to sacred sites. They are trying to persuade the federal government to deny permits allowing the pipeline to cross the Missouri River near their reservation.

The department's video was meant to portray the protesters as dangerous troublemakers, but the photos and videos in news reports suggest a more familiar story - an imbalance of power, where law enforcement fiercely defends property rights against protesters' claims of environmental protection and the rights of indigenous people. American Indians have seen this sort of drama unfold for centuries - native demands meeting brute force against a backdrop of folly - in this case, the pursuit of fossil fuels at a time of sagging oil demand and global climatic peril.

The Army Corps of Engineers has called for more study and input from the tribe before it decides on whether to grant a permit. The pipeline company has asked a federal judge to give it the right to proceed with its plan to lay pipe under the river. There is no firm timeline for either decision.

In the meantime, President Obama could step in to protect everyone's safety and pressure the sheriff's officers to stand down. Barring that, resolute protesters, a heavily militarized police force unwilling to budge, a company that refuses to consider an alternate route and an onrushing Great Plains winter - how can this possibly end well?

A version of this article appears in print on , on Page A26 of the New York edition with the headline: Power Imbalance at the Pipeline Protest. Order Reprints | Today's Paper | Subscribe

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Opinion | Power Imbalance at the Pipeline Protest

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When injustice aligns with cruelty, and heavy weaponry is involved, the results can be shameful and bloody. Witness what happened on Sunday in North Dakota, when law enforcement officers escalated their tactics against unarmed American Indians and allies who have waged months of protests against the Dakota Access oil pipeline.

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Standing Rock celebrates as US Army Corps stops pipeline construction

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The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers announced it will not allow the easement necessary for the Dakota Access Pipeline to be built near reservation lands.

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Fight over Dakota Access Pipeline far from over

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As Standing Rock protesters rejoice over the decision to halt construction of the Dakota Access Pipeline, questions remain.

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The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers' announcement Sunday that work would be halted on the Dakota Access pipeline was met with jubilation by protesters and their many celebrity supporters online.

On Sunday, the Corps denied an easement for the pipeline to cross Lake Oahe, a reservoir on the Missouri River in North Dakota and a major water source for the Standing Rock Sioux reservation. That segment was the only contested part of the 1,172-mile pipeline, which is almost completed.

Celebrities like Shailene Woodley have been outspoken against the project, which protesters said would contaminate drinking water and disturb sacred sites. Woodley was arrested while participating in the protests in October.

The actress and a host of other celebs took to social media after the news broke Sunday night to express their joy and celebration.

"Solid proof that people coming together can change things for the better," said Pharrell Williams.

"Bravo Army Corps of Engineers, bravo Standing Rock, bravo Sioux Nation. You've taught us all something of great value. Stand your ground!" added Sally Field.

Despite this victory for the anti-DAPL protestors, the project, which is 92% complete, will undergo further study for potential alternative routes at the order of the Army Corps of Engineers. That decision could be reversed by President-elect Donald Trump when he takes office in January. There are also two pending court cases in North Dakota and Iowa regarding the project.

Read or Share this story: http://usat.ly/2h6grrl

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Shailene Woodley, more celebrities celebrate as work is halted on Dakota Access Pipeline

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The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers' announcement Sunday that work would be halted on the Dakota Access pipeline was met with jubilation by protesters and their many celebrity supporters online. On Sunday, the Corps denied an easement for the pipeline to cross Lake Oahe, a reservoir on the Missouri River in North Dakota and a major water source for the Standing Rock Sioux reservation.

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Federal grand jury looks into violent pipeline protest clash

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News Corp is a network of leading companies in the worlds of diversified media, news, education, and information services

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CANNON BALL, N.D. - The Standing Rock Sioux Tribe won a major victory on Sunday in its battle to block an oil pipeline being built near its reservation when the Department of the Army announced that it would not allow the pipeline to be drilled under a dammed section of the Missouri River.

The Army said it would look for alternative routes for the $3.7 billion Dakota Access pipeline. Construction of the route a half-mile from the Standing Rock Sioux reservation has become a global flash point for environmental and indigenous activism, drawing thousands of people out here to a sprawling prairie camp of tents, tepees and yurts.

"The best way to complete that work responsibly and expeditiously is to explore alternate routes for the pipeline crossing," Jo-Ellen Darcy, the Army's assistant secretary for civil works, said in a statement. The move could presage a lengthy environmental review that has the potential to block the pipeline's construction for months or years.

But it was unclear how durable the government's decision would be. Sunday's announcement came in the dwindling days of the Obama administration, which revealed in November that the Army Corps of Engineers was considering an alternative route. The Corps of Engineers is part of the Department of the Army.

President-elect Donald J. Trump, however, has taken a different view of the project and said as recently as last week that he supported finishing the 1,170-mile pipeline, which crosses four states and is almost complete.

Though the Army's decision calls for an environmental study of alternative routes, the Trump administration could ultimately decide to allow the original, contested route. Representatives for Mr. Trump's transition team did not immediately respond to requests for comment.

Mr. Trump owns stock in the company building the pipeline, Energy Transfer Partners, but he has said that his support has nothing to do with his investment.

There was no immediate response from Energy Transfer Partners, but its chief executive, Kelcy Warren, has said that the company was unwilling to reroute the pipeline, which is intended to transport as much as 550,000 barrels of oil a day from the oil fields of western North Dakota to a terminal in Illinois.

Reaction was swift on both sides, with environmental groups like Greenpeace praising the decision. "The water protectors have done it," a Greenpeace spokeswoman, Lilian Molina, said. "This is a monumental victory in the fight to protect indigenous rights and sovereignty."

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Theresa Sandoval, of the Red Willow Tribe in northern New Mexico, bringing firewood back to her North Dakota camp early Sunday morning. Credit Alyssa Schukar for The New York Times

But Craig Stevens, a spokesman for the MAIN Coalition, a pro-infrastructure group, condemned the move as "a purely political decision that flies in the face of common sense and the rule of law."

"Unfortunately, it's not surprising that the president would, again, use executive fiat in an attempt to enhance his legacy among the extreme left," Mr. Stevens said in a statement. "With President-elect Trump set to take office in 47 days, we are hopeful that this is not the final word on the Dakota Access Pipeline."

Representative Kevin Cramer, Republican of North Dakota and a Trump supporter, called Sunday's decision a "chilling signal to others who want to build infrastructure in this country."

"I can't wait for the adults to be in charge on Jan. 20," Mr. Cramer said, referring to Mr. Trump's inauguration.

Still, the announcement set off whoops of joy inside the Oceti Sakowin camp. Tribal members paraded through the camp on horseback, jubilantly beating drums and gathering around a fire at the center of the camp. Tribal elders celebrated what they said was the validation of months of prayer and protest.

"It's wonderful," Dave Archambault II, the Standing Rock tribal chairman, told cheering supporters who stood in the melting snow on a mild North Dakota afternoon. "You all did that. Your presence has brought the attention of the world."

The decision, he said, meant that people no longer had to stay at the camp during North Dakota's brutal winter. The Corps of Engineers, which manages the land, had ordered it to be closed, but the thousands of protesters had built yurts, tepees and bunkhouses and vowed to hunker down.

"It's time now that we move forward," Mr. Archambault said. "We don't have to stand and endure this hard winter. We can spend the winter with our families."

Law enforcement officials and non-Native ranchers in this conservative, heavily white part of North Dakota would like little more than to see the thousands of protesters return home. The sheriff has called the demonstrations an unlawful protest, and officials have characterized the demonstrators as rioters who have intimidated ranchers and threatened and attacked law enforcement - charges that protest leaders deny.

But on Sunday, several campers said they were not going anywhere. They said that there were too many uncertainties surrounding the Army's decision, and that they had dedicated too much time and emotion to this fight to leave now.

Federal and state regulators had issued the pipeline the necessary permits to proceed, but the Corps of Engineers had not yet granted it a final easement to drill under a stretch of the Missouri River called Lake Oahe.

The Standing Rock Sioux had objected to the pipeline's path so close to the source of their drinking water, and said any spill could poison water supplies for them and other reservations and cities downstream. They also said the pipeline's route through what are now privately owned ranches bordering the river crossed through sacred ancestral lands.

News of the government's denial came after the size of the camp had swelled with hundreds, perhaps thousands, of Native and non-Native veterans who had arrived to support the tribe. As word spread, people who had camped out here for months, sometimes in bitterly cold temperatures, and who had clashed violently with local law enforcement, linked arms and cheered and cried.

They screamed, "Mni wiconi!" - the movement's rallying cry - which means "Water is life."

Jon Eagle Sr., a member of the Standing Rock Tribe, said the announcement was a vindication for the thousands who had traveled here, and for the multitudes who had rallied to the tribe's fight on social media or donated. Millions of dollars in donations and goods have flowed into the camps for months as the tribe's fight and the scenes of protesters being tear-gassed and sprayed with freezing water stirred outrage on social media. (Law enforcement officials have insisted the entire time that they have acted responsibly and with restraint.)

"I don't know quite how to put into words how proud I am of our people," Mr. Eagle said. "And I mean our people. I don't just mean the indigenous people of this continent. I mean all the people who came to stand with us. And it's a beautiful day. It's a powerful day."

Ken Many Wounds, who has served as a tribal liaison to express concerns and questions to law enforcement, said he had been standing by the camp's main fire - one that is tended constantly - when he heard the news from the tribal chairman's wife. He said he did not believe it at first.

"I hugged her, I cried," he said. "Our prayers have been answered. A lot of people didn't believe that prayer was going to be the answer. But our people stayed together. In our hearts, we knew."

Jack Healy reported from Cannon Ball, and Nicholas Fandos from Washington. Maggie Haberman and John Schwartz contributed reporting from New York, and Coral Davenport from Washington.

A version of this article appears in print on , on Page A1 of the New York edition with the headline: Protesters Gain Victory in Fight Over Oil Pipeline. Order Reprints | Today's Paper | Subscribe

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Protesters Gain Victory in Fight Over Dakota Access Oil Pipeline

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CANNON BALL, N.D. - The Standing Rock Sioux Tribe won a major victory on Sunday in its battle to block an oil pipeline being built near its reservation when the Department of the Army announced that it would not allow the pipeline to be drilled under a dammed section of the Missouri River.