Case Study: The Dakota Access Pipeline

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The Dakota Access Pipeline (DAPL) is a $3.8 billion project that is funded by the Army Corps of Engineers. The pipeline stretches across several different state borders from Illinois all the way to North Dakota. DAPL’s sole purpose is to transport crude oil and is also the reason why the pipeline is so controversial. People are terrified because DAPL’s route goes directly under the Missouri River, which is the Standing Rock Sioux Tribe’s only source of clean water. The Standing Rock Sioux Tribe is located in Standing Rock, North Dakota and have their own reservation. The Standing Rock Sioux tribe is strongly concerned about another Flint, Michigan situation occurring and not having any access to clean water due to a potential oil spill. The …show more content…
The general public does not trust pipelines since they have a long history of spilling oil and decimating the given environment. Despite popular belief, DAPL does not cross ancient burial grounds of the Standing Rock Sioux Tribe. The Army Corps of Engineers has released a map of DAPL’s route and clearly avoids the Standing Rock Sioux Tribe’s sacred burial grounds. One of the major arguments against the pipeline is unfortunately a fallacy. Oil spills occur several times a year around the world. Transporting oil via pipelines is clearly not as safe as the government is claiming them to be. Even one oil spill can cause absolutely catastrophic results and therefore should not be allowed. Before President Obama left office, he halted the pipeline’s construction due to the massive protests and claimed to be on the side of the Standing Rock Sioux Tribe and the environment. Now, newly elect President Trump, has rebirthed DAPL’s construction and has already resumed construction. The Water Protectors had won an enormous victory under the Obama presidency but Trump coming into the oval office crushed everything they fought so hard for. Of course, people are protesting once again