The US Army Corps of Engineers has
thrown in the towel. After months of determined protests, the Dakota Access Pipeline has been stopped in its tracks.
The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers spokeswoman Moria Kelley said in a news release Sunday that the administration will not allow the four-state, $3.8-billion pipeline to be built under Lake Oahe, a Missouri River reservoir where construction had been on hold.
Assistant Secretary for Civil Works Jo-Ellen Darcy said her decision was based on the need to "explore alternate routes" for the pipeline's crossing.
Will the decision survive after Jan 20?
ReplyDeleteOne can only hope that this finishes it but there are those who aren't happy. Americans have a strong sense of "State's rights" and the pipeline company may expect the Governor to ignore the Corps of Engineers. I will not hold my breath waiting for this to play out.
ReplyDeleteThe silly thing is that construction would probably be well underway if the politicians and the company had been willing to find another route.
In his book, The Inconvenient Indian, Thomas King reversed the question, "What do Indians want?" He asked, "What do Whites want?"
"The answer is quite simple, and it’s been in plain sight all along. Land.
Whites want land." Read more here. Better still, read the book.
Oh no, what a disaster if your name is Donald Trump!
ReplyDeleteThis week the president-elect announced his official backing of the Dakota Access pipeline, which cuts through several states and threatens to pollute the Missouri river and destroy Native American historical artifacts and burial grounds.
He has a stake in the company building the pipeline, called Energy Transfer Partners, and he has a stake in Phillips 66, which holds a share of the project.
His team said the support of the pipeline "has nothing to do with his personal investments and everything to do with promoting policies that benefit all Americans."
"Those making such a claim are only attempting to distract from the fact that President-elect Trump has put forth serious policy proposals he plans to set in motion on Day One," read the note to campaign and congressional staff.
The US is starting to look more and more like the Philippines under Marcos and the Trump administration isn't even in office yet.
Cap
A very dangerous development, Mound. It might give the people the idea that they actually have power, something the establishment cannot tolerate.
ReplyDeleteWhere is the fat lady; Is she singing yet?
ReplyDeleteTB
This is likely a very small, short "victory".
ReplyDeleteTrump may reroute the pipeline. Or just push it through regardless.
Also Trump will want to implement KeystoneXL, and to get that pipeline built he may wish to show that his administration can be somewhat accommodating to opposing voices. The first chance to demonstrate that will come from the Dakota Access routing issues.
Obama may have made a strategic mistake rejecting KeystoneXL. Congress (in bipartisan fashion) supported the pipeline. I fear Harper played a role in making the rejection easier, with his stupid "no-brainer" comment. At the time of the rejection, I had thought that if Harper had implemented a Carbon tax or Cap'N'Trade Obama may have had an easier time approving it.
This is likely a very small, short "victory".
ReplyDeleteWith ,apparently, 3500 veterans gearing up to join the pipeline blockade the US governments action should be taken as a strategic retreat and not capitulation.
We live in an increasingly polarised world not just nation to nation but within nations.
It does not bode well for our future.
TB
.. one for The Mound.. needs no explanation.. for you ..
ReplyDeletehttp://www.timescolonist.com/patrick-lane-an-open-letter-to-all-the-wild-creatures-of-the-earth-1.717669