Standing Rock Legal Fund10 min read
The Standing Rock Sioux Tribe has set up a legal defense fund to help those arrested protesting the Dakota Access Pipeline. The fund will help pay for legal representation for anyone arrested for protesting the $3.8 billion oil pipeline, which the tribe says would threaten its water supply and cultural heritage.
“The tribe has always had to fund its own defense, and we will continue to do so,” said Dave Archambault II, chairman of the Standing Rock Sioux Tribe. “But we also know that we can’t do it alone. We need the support of our friends and allies, and that’s why we’re asking for your help.”
The fund has already collected more than $320,000 from more than 4,500 donors. The money will be used to help cover the costs of bail, fines, and legal representation for the more than 500 people who have been arrested protesting the pipeline.
The Standing Rock Sioux Tribe is not the only one protesting the Dakota Access Pipeline. More than a dozen other tribes have also joined the protest, as well as environmental groups and concerned citizens. The pipeline would cross four states and would carry more than half a million barrels of crude oil a day.
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What is happening with Standing Rock?
Since the spring of 2016, the Standing Rock Sioux Tribe and their allies have been protesting the construction of the Dakota Access Pipeline. The proposed pipeline would cross under the Standing Rock Sioux Nation and the 17 million people that rely on the Missouri River for drinking, irrigation, and energy—striking communities near the environmental disaster of Flint, Michigan. The tribe has argued that the project would damage sacred sites and risk contaminating the tribe’s water supply.
In response to the protests, the company building the pipeline, Energy Transfer Partners, has used attack dogs, mace, water cannons, and concussion grenades on the unarmed protesters, many of whom are Native American. As of this writing, the struggle at Standing Rock is ongoing, with the tribe and their allies facing down an increasingly militarized police force in below-freezing temperatures.
What is happening at Standing Rock?
The Standing Rock Sioux Tribe and their allies have been protesting the construction of the Dakota Access Pipeline since the spring of 2016. The proposed pipeline would cross under the Standing Rock Sioux Nation and the 17 million people that rely on the Missouri River for drinking, irrigation, and energy—striking communities near the environmental disaster of Flint, Michigan. The tribe has argued that the project would damage sacred sites and risk contaminating the tribe’s water supply.
In response to the protests, the company building the pipeline, Energy Transfer Partners, has used attack dogs, mace, water cannons, and concussion grenades on the unarmed protesters, many of whom are Native American. As of this writing, the struggle at Standing Rock is ongoing, with the tribe and their allies facing down an increasingly militarized police force in below-freezing temperatures.
Why is this happening?
The protests at Standing Rock are part of a long history of Native American resistance to colonialism and environmental destruction. The Standing Rock Sioux Tribe has already suffered great losses in the past; their land was stolen by the U.S. government, and they were forcibly relocated to what is now North Dakota. The Dakota Access Pipeline would be the latest in a long line of assaults on the tribe’s sovereignty and their way of life.
What can I do to help?
If you’re in the United States, you can call your representatives and urge them to oppose the Dakota Access Pipeline. You can also donate to the Standing Rock Sioux Tribe and their allies.
Was the Dakota Access Pipeline legal?
On December 4th, the Army Corps of Engineers announced that they would not be granting an easement to the Dakota Access Pipeline to cross under the Standing Rock Sioux Reservation. This decision came after months of protests by the Standing Rock Sioux and their allies, who argue that the pipeline would endanger the water supply of the reservation and its inhabitants.
The Dakota Access Pipeline has been a source of contention since it was proposed in 2014. The proposed route would cross under the Standing Rock Sioux Reservation and the 17 million people that rely on the Missouri River for drinking, irrigation, and energy production, as well as the environmental consequences of the pipeline. The 1,172-mile long pipeline would carry up to 570,000 barrels of crude oil per day from the Bakken oil fields in North Dakota to Illinois.
The Standing Rock Sioux Tribe and their allies have been protesting the construction of the Dakota Access Pipeline for months. The protests have been met with violence from law enforcement, with more than 500 people arrested. The Army Corps of Engineers announced on December 4th that they would not be granting an easement to the Dakota Access Pipeline to cross under the Standing Rock Sioux Reservation, a decision that was celebrated by the protesters.
The Dakota Access Pipeline is not the only controversial pipeline project in the United States. The Keystone XL Pipeline, which would carry tar sands oil from Canada to the United States, has been met with protests as well. The Keystone XL Pipeline was rejected by the Obama administration, but President-elect Donald Trump has said that he would approve the project.
Why did the Standing Rock Sioux Tribe sue the U.S. Army Corps?
In July of 2016, the Standing Rock Sioux Tribe filed a lawsuit against the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. The lawsuit alleged that the Corps had failed to properly consult with the Tribe before approving the Dakota Access Pipeline.
In September of 2016, the Tribe filed an emergency motion for a preliminary injunction to stop construction of the Pipeline. The motion argued that the Pipeline posed a threat to the Tribe’s water supplies and cultural heritage.
A federal judge denied the Tribe’s motion for a preliminary injunction in October of 2016. The Tribe appealed the decision.
In February of 2017, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit upheld the federal judge’s ruling.
In early April of 2017, the Tribe asked the U.S. Supreme Court to hear their case.
In June of 2017, the U.S. Supreme Court declined to hear the Tribe’s case.
The Dakota Access Pipeline is a 1,172-mile-long pipeline that would transport crude oil from the Bakken oil fields in North Dakota to refineries in Illinois. The Pipeline has faced significant opposition from the Standing Rock Sioux Tribe and other environmental groups.
Why did the Standing Rock Sioux sue the U.S. Army Corp of Engineers in July 2016?
In July 2016, the Standing Rock Sioux Tribe sued the U.S. Army Corp of Engineers (USACE) in an attempt to halt the construction of the Dakota Access Pipeline. The tribe alleges that the USACE failed to consult them as required by the National Historic Preservation Act (NHPA) and the Clean Water Act (CWA).
The Dakota Access Pipeline is a proposed crude oil pipeline that would run from the Bakken oil fields in North Dakota to Illinois. The project has faced significant opposition from environmental and Native American groups, who argue that the pipeline could damage sacred sites and contaminate water supplies.
In September 2016, a federal judge denied the tribe’s request for an injunction to halt construction of the pipeline. However, the judge ruled that the USACE must consult with the tribe before continuing construction. The USACE has since initiated that consultation process.
Is the Dakota Access Pipeline shut down 2022?
On December 4, 2017, the United States Army Corps of Engineers announced that it would not be granting the easement necessary to complete the Dakota Access Pipeline. This was a major victory for the Standing Rock Sioux Tribe and the thousands of people who had joined them in protesting the project.
The DAPL has been a source of contention since it was first proposed in 2014. The 1,172-mile pipeline would carry crude oil from the Bakken oil fields in North Dakota to terminals in Illinois. The Standing Rock Sioux Tribe and other opponents argued that the pipeline posed a grave threat to the environment and to the tribe’s water supply.
In September 2016, the Obama administration announced that it would not be granting the necessary permits for the DAPL to proceed. However, the Trump administration reversed that decision in January of this year, and construction on the pipeline resumed.
The protests against the DAPL were the largest Native American demonstration in recent history. The Standing Rock Sioux Tribe has vowed to continue fighting against the pipeline, and it’s unclear whether the Trump administration will try to force the issue.
Is Dakota pipeline finished?
On November 15, 2016, the Army Corps of Engineers issued a statement denying an easement that would have allowed the proposed Dakota Access Pipeline to cross under the Standing Rock Sioux Nation’s water source. The denial was a victory for the tribe and the thousands of people who had gathered to protest the pipeline’s construction.
The proposed Dakota Access Pipeline would have transported oil from the Bakken Formation in North Dakota to southern Illinois. The 1,172-mile pipeline would have passed through four states and crossed under the Standing Rock Sioux Nation’s water source, the Missouri River.
The tribe and its allies argued that the pipeline posed a threat to their water source and that the tribe had not been properly consulted about the project. They also raised concerns about the potential for the pipeline to damage sacred sites.
In September 2016, the Obama administration ordered a halt to construction of the pipeline while the Army Corps of Engineers conducted a review of the project.
In December 2016, the Army Corps of Engineers issued a statement denying the easement that would have allowed the pipeline to cross under the tribe’s water source. The denial was a victory for the tribe and the thousands of people who had gathered to protest the pipeline’s construction.
The decision to deny the easement was hailed as a victory by the tribe and its allies, but the fight is not over. The tribe has filed a lawsuit against the Army Corps of Engineers, and the Trump administration may seek to overturn the decision to deny the easement.
Why is the Dakota Access Pipeline controversial?
The Dakota Access Pipeline (DAPL) is a 1,172-mile oil pipeline project that would cross four states and transport up to 570,000 barrels of crude oil per day from the Bakken Formation in North Dakota to Patoka, Illinois. The project has been controversial from the beginning, with opponents arguing that it poses a threat to the environment and to the Standing Rock Sioux tribe’s water supply.
Supporters of the DAPL argue that the pipeline is a safer and more efficient way to transport oil than by truck or rail, and that it will create jobs and boost the economy. They also maintain that the pipeline will have minimal environmental impact.
Opponents of the DAPL, however, say that the pipeline could leak and contaminate water supplies, and that it would damage cultural heritage sites. The Standing Rock Sioux tribe has been the most vocal opponent of the pipeline, and has staged protests and held prayer vigils in an effort to block its construction.
In late 2016, the Army Corps of Engineers denied a permit for the DAPL to cross under the Missouri River near the Standing Rock Sioux Reservation, but the Trump administration reversed that decision in early 2017. The tribe has since filed a lawsuit against the administration, arguing that the permit was granted without proper consultation with the tribe.
