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Evidence of a growing rift among Sioux Tribe members on the Dakota Access Pipeline is emerging, with some taking a more tempered approach to the issue than their counterparts’ chaining themselves to construction equipment.

Roquel Gourneau, an enrolled member of the Lower Brule Sioux Tribe in central South Dakota, recently shared a blog post in which she appeals to her fellow tribesmen and women for compromise in negotiations between the SRST and Dakota Access, countering the hardline rhetoric of other Native American opponents. Ms. Gourneau’s stance marks a sharp divergence from this all-out opposition, which itself has demonstrated little in the way of strategy or achievable goals. This inner turmoil – developing months after the tribes had ample opportunity to provide input on Dakota Access – is yet another indication of the Sioux Tribe’s lack of cohesive approach to the project.

In her post, Ms. Gorneau acknowledges the safety of underground pipelines, the importance of oil in producing everyday commodities, and the need for feasible requests on the part of the Sioux Tribe. Read below for some salient excerpts:

These existing pipelines were constructed individually over a long period of time and have been in operation almost daily, so why weren’t [other] pipelines met with such a strong, united resistance?

Although 99.99% of all tank cars containing crude oil arrive at their destination safely and less than one percent of derailments involve crude oil, all of the railways … clearly cross a large amount of major fresh water sources. A derailment near any groundwater source would surely be just as detrimental as a pipeline leak, if not more volatile when sparks and other above ground dangers are in play as well.

Now we know that it is highly unlikely that we as Native Americans and environmentalists are going to go as far as sell our vehicles, homes, material possessions and denounce any items derived from petroleum. Thus begs the question: what then, DO we want?

If they absolutely need to build this one specific pipeline, we should be able to offer some major concerns and feasible requests.

We know it isn’t realistic to expect that fracking, drilling, and transporting crude be completely stopped, but let’s at least make some reasonable, realistic requests to truly improve the bigger picture.

While these points certainly demonstrate a degree of reasonableness, Ms. Gourneau goes on to encourage her readers to “demand that [Dakota Access] avoid crossing the Missouri River at all, if possible.” Even a cursory understanding of geography would lead her to understand that it is, in fact, impossible to avoid such a huge obstacle. We’re happy to provide the below map for consultation:

Geographic knowledge aside – John Lytle, President of the First American Alliance and member of the Rosebud Sioux Tribe, replied to Ms. Gourneau’s post, agreeing with her comments and underscoring the fact that the SRST protests lack a decided strategy or end-goal:

The purpose of a protest is to call attention to a particular cause or issue that needs to be addressed. With all the coverage the movement has now done that. OK… Now what? … I am not sure that there is a specific strategy to take the next step.

As Ms. Gourneau concludes, “I strongly feel that it is time we take a step back, and truly consider our positions in the battle against large oil transportation companies and similar industries.” Her reasoned arguments serve as a breath of fresh air in midst of these noisy, seemingly directionless protests. This could serve as a high watermark in the movement, pointing to a larger split among the Native American community on the Dakota Access protests. Hopefully Ms. Gourneau’s more thought-out comments resonate with her less reasoning fellow tribe members.

Read the full blog post here.

Image Courtesy: Center for Manufacturing Research

The National Association of Manufacturers (NAM), the organization which represents manufacturers both large and small, has been closely following the developments on the Dakota Access Pipeline, as the multi-billion dollar investment continues to benefit those employed by many of their members. This morning, the NAM released a blog post stressing the importance of the pipeline for the manufacturing sector:

Manufacturers support the Dakota Access Pipeline. Dakota Access ensures long-term access to competitively-priced oil for industrial uses and as an input good for many manufactured goods such as petrochemicals, to process gas and transportation fuels and to power operations. Manufacturers also make up the supply chain for the project: between 32 and 37 percent of the cost of constructing an oil pipeline is directly for manufacturing inputs. The major types of manufactured goods used include equipment, line pipe, fittings, coatings and booster stations, including pumps.

The blog addressed the fact that the pipeline permitting process was done in full compliance with all applicable laws:

The project’s sponsors ran the gauntlet and secured every federal, state and local permit needed to begin construction

The author also noted that while the rhetoric around pipelines may be intense, leaders on both sides of the aisle agree that new pipeline systems are crucial to the supply and demand challenges of the 21^st century.

The idea that infrastructure investment spurs manufacturing is very apparent and met with agreement by people of all political stripes. Pipeline construction and operation supports a significant amount of manufacturing jobs in the United States, adding several billion dollars to the national GDP and supporting tens of thousands of jobs.

Photo Courtesy of InForum

It seems logical that those who demand an end to the use of oil, such as the anti-development activists near Cannon Ball, would act by example, and rid themselves of any oil-based products. However, it is much easier said than done, which was pointed out in a letter published by InForum this morning:

From the tents they sleep in, to the markers they use to write their slogans, to the plastic water bottles they use to hydrate themselves (which is strained though petroleum-based filtration systems), the protesters are examples of just how fundamental petroleum is to our daily lives.

The letter encourages the protesters to be honest with the American people and the media what their true goal is, blocking the development of traditional energy wherever possible in order to cause energy prices to skyrocket, in the hope that it will spur development of energy technology they favor:

The protesters at Standing Rock and those backing them should be honest with the American people about the real costs of blocking the development of projects like Dakota Access. These types of projects are a vital link in our national energy infrastructure grid that enable us to lead the lives we want.

Read the full text of the letter here.

The U.S. Chamber of Commerce, the nation’s largest organization representing businesses both large and small, took a look at the Dakota Access Pipeline in their blog this morning, noting its contribution to improving the nation’s energy infrastructure:

A valuable addition to U.S. energy infrastructure, the pipeline will cross four states connecting the oil-rich Bakken region in North Dakota with other pipelines in Illinois, allowing oil to reach refineries and making America less dependent on foreign imports.

The blog post went on to note the violence which occurred at the site of the out-of-state anti-development protesters near the Standing Rock reservation in the past few weeks:

In North Dakota, hundreds of protesters—many not from the area–have built a camp near a construction site where the pipeline will travel under the Missouri River near the Standing Rock Sioux Reservation. The Army Corps of Engineers approved the pipeline’s water crossing there in July.

The protests have turned ugly. Local public radio reports that construction has been halted because law enforcement worried that some protesters had pipe bombs and guns. Dozens have been arrested for trespassing and disorderly conduct. The FBI is investigating an incident where someone pointed a laser pointer on a North Dakota state government plane that was watching the protesters.

The protests got so bad that on Friday North Dakota’s Governor Jack Dalrymple (R) issued an emergency declaration in the construction area to make “available other state resources for the purpose of protecting the health, safety and well-being of the general public and those involved in the protest.”

Finally, the post noted that statistics have shown pipeline to be safe and that safety records have been trending in a positive direction for well over a decade, in spite of a large increase in oil transported. The article included a map, which highlighted the fact that the Dakota Access is certainly not even close to being something out of the ordinary, and that thousands of miles of pipeline operate safely beneath the ground every day:

Read the full post here.

The Iowa Utilities Board (IUB) has re-affirmed their commitment to the workers of Iowa in a 3-0 vote to allow construction on the Dakota Access Pipeline to proceed. But it didn’t take long after the hearing was initially announced for workers to begin voicing their disapproval of the challenge to continuing construction.

William Little, a union member from Pleasant Hill, said in a Letter to the Editor of the Des Moines Register, “I have spent my life building infrastructure projects for our country, which is why when the IUB approved the pipeline months ago, I was relieved to know a steady paycheck would be in my future. The decision to rehear the permit on Dakota Access is just wrong. Four states — including Iowa — have already approved this project.”

After nearly two years of approval, utility boards in all four states approved this important project and construction is continuing thanks to the hard work of thousands of union members along the route.

Following a challenge to their final ruling by a group of landowners on the approval of construction of the Dakota Access Pipeline the commissioners of the Iowa Utilities Board voted 3-0 yesterday to uphold their final ruling and allow construction to continue in Iowa.

This comes as good news to the hundreds of members of various craft trade unions who rallied in Des Moines ahead of the hearing, and packed the room with supporters of the project. The stoppage of construction in Iowa had the commissioners voted to revise their final ruling could have been potentially disastrous for the thousands of workers already laying pipe across the state.

In a statement prior to the hearing, Bill Gerhard, President of the Iowa State Building and Constructions Trade Council, issued the following statement:

“The last ditch efforts by opponents of the Dakota Access Pipeline threatens to kill the jobs of thousands of Iowans. It is completely selfish of these individuals to threaten an entire workforce with termination solely because they want to throw a wrench in the regulatory system. Construction should be allowed to take place, as it was before, because the letter of the law was followed and this project was approved by the State of Iowa. The rest of Iowa gets it and wants to move forward.”

There is still much work to do in Iowa, and the members of the unions involved in construction are eager to continue working. Thankfully the Iowa Utilities Board recognized the importance of this project to thousands of workers and their families and made the prudent decision for construction to continue unabated by the ongoing lawsuit filed by a select few landowners and their attorneys.