DOCSLIB.ORG

Standing Rock Sioux Tribe Report to the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers

Total Page：16

File Type：pdf, Size：1020Kb

Download full-text PDF Read full-text
Standing Rock Sioux Tribe Report to the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Standing Rock Sioux Tribe Report to the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers on the Scope of the Court-Ordered Environmental Impact Statement for an Easement for the Dakota Access Pipeline November 24, 2020 This report was prepared under the direction of Mike Faith, Jr., Chairman Standing Rock Sioux Tribe With the assistance of the following Tribal agencies: Department of Water Resources – Errol “Doug” Crow Ghost, Director Department of Game and Fish – Jeff Kelly, Director Tribal Emergency Management Commission – Elliot Ward, Emergency Manager Department of Environmental Regulation/EPA – Allyson Two Bears, Director Tribal Historic Preservation Office – Jon Eagle, Sr., Historic Preservation Officer Office of In-house Counsel – Erin Shanley, Attorney at Law And the #NoDAPL Technical Consulting Team: Don Holmstrom, Esq., Boulder, Colorado Patrick Flanders, PE, Houston, Texas Peter Capossela, Attorney at Law, PC, Eugene, Oregon Thomas K.G. Mohr, Mohr HydroGeoScience, LLC, Santa Clara, CA i “We want to be heard, and we want justice.” Chairman Mike Faith, Jr., Standing Rock Sioux Tribe ii Table of Contents I. DAPL MUST BE SHUT DOWN IMMEDIATELY .............................................................. 1 II. EXECUTIVE SUMMARY ................................................................................................... 3 III. DAPL VIOLATES THE FORT LARAMIE TREATIES OF 1851 AND 1868 .................. 6 IV. THE CORPS VIOLATED FEDERAL CONSULTATION REQUIREMENTS BY PUBLISHING THE NOTICE OF INTENT AND COMMENCING THE NEPA PROCESS PRIOR TO CONSULTATION WITH THE STANDING ROCK SIOUX TRIBE ...................... 13 A. The Corps Routinely Acts without Tribal Consultation .................................................... 13 B. Overview of Tribal Consultation Requirements ............................................................... 13 C. The Corps Failed to Consult with the Tribe on the Environmental Assessment and Remand Report ......................................................................................................................... 17 D. “Meaningful and Timely” Consultation in the EIS Process .............................................. 24 V. THE ANTICIPATORY DEMOLITION OF NATIVE AMERICAN HISTORIC PROPERTIES DISQUALIFIES ENERGY TRANSFER; STANDING ROCK THPO CONCURRENCE IS REQUIRED FOR DAPL ........................................................................... 28 VI. THE CORPS MUST EVALUATE DAPL OIL SPILL RISK BY UP-TO-DATE, RIGOROUS PIPELINE SAFETY, ENVIRONMENTAL RISK AND INTEGRITY MANAGEMENT STANDARDS ................................................................................................ 31 B. The Corps Must Evaluate DAPL Oil Spill Risk by Up-to-Date, Rigorous Pipeline Safety, Environmental Risk and Integrity Management Standards ....................................................... 33 VII. THE CORPS OF ENGINEERS MUST ELEVATE ITS SCRUTINY OF ENERGY TRANSFER’S VERY TROUBLED SAFETY AND ENVIRONMENTAL RECORD ............... 44 VIII. THE EIS MUST DISCLOSE THE CHEMICAL COMPOSITION AND PROPERTIES OF BAKKEN CRUDE ................................................................................................................. 48 A. Introduction ...................................................................................................................... 48 B. The Elevated Hazards of Bakken Crude Must be Disclosed in the EIS ............................ 48 C. Importance of Proper Sampling and Testing Techniques ................................................. 51 D. The Corps Must Accurately Assess DAPL’s Environmental Impacts Incorporating the Latest Science on the Components of Bakken Crude ............................................................... 54 IX. DESIGN FLAWS PRESENT AN IMMINENT HAZARD AND UNDERSCORE THE NEED FOR PERFORMANCE TESTING AND VERIFICATION ............................................. 59 A. The Lake Oahe High Consequence Area Lacks Safety-Critical Surge Relief Protection .. 59 B. DAPL Failed to Supply Back-up Power to Safety-Critical Emergency Flow Restriction Devices at Lake Oahe ............................................................................................................... 62 X. THE WORST CASE DISCHARGE MUST BE RECALCULATED ................................... 65 iii A. Introduction – Worst Case Discharge and Risk ................................................................ 65 B. The Environmental Analysis Must Include an Estimate of the Worst Case Discharge in Compliance with PHMSA Regulations .................................................................................... 66 C. DAPL’s Leak Detection System is Unreliable .................................................................. 68 XI. THE ENVIRONMENTAL ANALYSIS MUST INCLUDE ADDITIONAL SPILL MODELING TO INCLUDE A REALISTIC WORST CASE DISCHARGE .............................. 72 XII. THE CORPS OF ENGINEERS MUST FULLY EVALUATE DAPL’S DISPROPORTIONATE IMPACT ON THE STANDING ROCK SIOUX TRIBE ..................... 78 A. Environmental Justice for Indian Tribes ........................................................................... 78 B. Scoping and Environmental Justice .................................................................................. 79 C. Environmental Justice and Risk ........................................................................................ 80 D. Corps of Engineers’ Pick-Sloan Program Impacts to Standing Rock................................ 83 E. Heightened Environmental Risk of DAPL to Standing Rock Tribal Members ................. 87 XIII. THE CORPS MUST CONDUCT A TECHNICAL HYDROGEOLOGIC EVALUATION OF THE POTENTIAL ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT OF A RELEASE OF OIL BELOW THE RIVERBED .................................................................................................................................. 91 XIV. THE EIS MUST ADDRESS THE SOVEREIGN AUTHORITY OF THE TRIBE OVER ALL EMERGENCY RESPONSE AND OIL SPILL REMEDIATION ACTIVITIES WITHIN THE EXTERIOR BOUNDARIES OF THE STANDING ROCK INDIAN RESERVATION .......................................................................................................................... 94 A. The Standing Rock Tribal Emergency Response Commission shall be the Lead Response Agency Under Tribal Law ........................................................................................................ 94 B. The Corps Must Acknowledge Tribal Law in the EIS and Energy Transfer Must Comply with Tribal Law ........................................................................................................................ 94 C. Current ET Emergency Plans are Inadequate and Put Tribal Emergency Responders at Undue Risk ............................................................................................................................... 95 XV. BASIC DOCUMENTATION RELATING TO PIPELINE SAFETY AND ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACTS HAVE BEEN IMPROPERLY CONCEALED AND MUST BE DISCLOSED IN THE EIS PROCESS ....................................................................................... 100 XVI. THE PROPOSAL TO SUBSTANTIALLY INCREASE THE CAPACITY OF DAPL MUST BE CRITICALLY EVALUATED ................................................................................. 103 XVII. THE EIS MUST IDENTIFY ENVIRONMENTAL EFFECTS OF DAPL, INCLUDING THE CUMULATIVE IMPACTS TO PEOPLE, LAND, WATER, AND THE EARTH A. DAPL Disrupts Existing Tribal Land Uses ..................................................................... 107 B. DAPL’s Cumulative Impacts with Corps of Engineers’ Management of Missouri River Water Flows ........................................................................................................................... 107 C. The Corps Must Reject DAPL due to the Cumulative Impacts to Global Climate.......... 108 iv Table 1 Summary of Consultation Requirements Applicable to the EIS on the Easement for DAPL .......................................................................................................... 17 Table 2 Corps of Engineers’ Violations of Consultation Requirements in the NEPA Process for DAPL ............................................................................................................. 24 Figure 1 Map showing Sioux Nation Treaty Boundaries .............................................. 9 Figure 2 Atmospheric CO2 concentration measured at Mauna Loa observatory from 1958 to the present. https://www.esrl.noaa.gov/gmd/ccgg/trends/ ................................. 109 v I. DAPL MUST BE SHUT DOWN IMMEDIATELY On March 25, 2020, District Court Judge James Boasberg ordered the Army Corps of Engineers to prepare an environmental impact statement for the Dakota Access Pipeline (DAPL).1 On September 10, the Corps published a Notice of Intent in the federal register to prepare the environmental impact statement (EIS), and solicited comment on the scope of the document.2 The first step in the NEPA process must be to shut down DAPL. On July 6, 2020 Judge Boasberg ordered the pipeline to be shut down pending completion of an EIS in compliance with the National Environmental Policy Act.3 The court “vacate(d) the Corps’ decision to grant Dakota Access an easement under the Mineral Leasing Act and order(ed) that the Dakota Access Pipeline be shut down within 30 days.”4 As the court opinion stated, “allowing the oil to flow through the pipeline during the remand risks… a spill under Lake Oahe.”5 The Corps of Engineers, working in tandem with Energy Transfer, the owner and operator of DAPL, immediately appealed. On
Load more

Recommended publications
  • Today's Missouri River
    DID YOU KNOW? The Missouri River is the longest river in North America. The Missouri is the world’s 15th- TODAY’S longest river. The Missouri has the nickname MISSOURI RIVER “Big Muddy,” because of the large The Missouri River has been an important resource for amount of silt that it carries. people living along or near it for thousands of years. As time went on and the corridor of the Missouri River was developed and populations increased, efforts have been There are approximately 150 fish made to control flows, create storage, and prevent flooding. species in the Missouri River, and As a result, six mainstem dams have been in place for more about 300 species of birds live in the than half a century, with the goal of bringing substantial Missouri River’s region. economic, environmental, and social benefits to the people of North Dakota and nine other states. The Missouri’s aquatic and riparian Since the building of the mainstem dams, it has been habitats also support several species realized that for all of the benefits that were provided, the of mammals, such as mink, river dams have also brought controversy. They have created otter, beaver, muskrat, and raccoon. competition between water users, loss of riparian habitat, impacts to endangered species, stream bank erosion, and delta formation - which are only a few of the complex issues The major dams built on the river related to today’s Missouri River management. were Fort Peck, Garrison, Oahe, Big Bend, Fort Randall, and Gavin’s Point. This educational booklet will outline the many benefits that the Missouri River provides, and also summarize some of the biggest issues that are facing river managers and residents within the basin today.
    [Show full text]
  • Walleye Fishery Ecology in Lake Oahe of the Dakotas Eli Felts South Dakota State University
    South Dakota State University Open PRAIRIE: Open Public Research Access Institutional Repository and Information Exchange Electronic Theses and Dissertations 2018 Walleye Fishery Ecology in Lake Oahe of the Dakotas Eli Felts South Dakota State University Follow this and additional works at: https://openprairie.sdstate.edu/etd Part of the Aquaculture and Fisheries Commons, and the Natural Resources Management and Policy Commons Recommended Citation Felts, Eli, "Walleye Fishery Ecology in Lake Oahe of the Dakotas" (2018). Electronic Theses and Dissertations. 2465. https://openprairie.sdstate.edu/etd/2465 This Dissertation - Open Access is brought to you for free and open access by Open PRAIRIE: Open Public Research Access Institutional Repository and Information Exchange. It has been accepted for inclusion in Electronic Theses and Dissertations by an authorized administrator of Open PRAIRIE: Open Public Research Access Institutional Repository and Information Exchange. For more information, please contact [email protected]. WALLEYE FISHERY ECOLOGY IN LAKE OAHE OF THE DAKOTAS BY ELI FELTS A dissertation submitted in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the Doctor of Philosophy Major in Wildlife and Fisheries Sciences South Dakota State University 2018 iii ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS This project was funded by the Federal Aid in Sport Fish Restoration Act Study number 1529 administered by South Dakota Department of Game, Fish, and Parks. Additional financial support was provided by the North Dakota Game and Fish Department. Staff of the South Dakota Department of Game, Fish and Parks and North Dakota Game and Fish Department completed the majority of the field work associated with this project. I want to especially thank Paul Bailey, Jason Barstad, Dave Fryda, Mike Greiner, Bob Hanten, Dan Jost, Jason Jungwirth, Russ Kinzer, Hilary Meyer, Kyle Potter, and Mike Smith for their efforts.
    [Show full text]
  • Fort Peck Draft
    US Army Corps of Engineers Omaha District Draft Fort Peck Dam/Fort Peck Lake Project Montana Surplus Water Report Volume 1 Surplus Water Report Appendix A – Environmental Assessment August 2012 THIS PAGE INTENTIONALLY LEFT BLANK FORT PECK DAM/FORT PECK LAKE PROJECT, MONTANA SURPLUS WATER REPORT Omaha District U.S. Army Corps of Engineers August 2012 THIS PAGE INTENTIONALLY LEFT BLANK Fort Peck Dam / Fort Peck Lake, Montana FORT PECK DAM/FORT PECK LAKE MONTANA SURPLUS WATER REPORT August 2012 Prepared By: The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Omaha District Omaha, NE Abstract: The Omaha District is proposing to temporarily make available 6,932 acre-feet/year of surplus water (equivalent to 17,816 acre-feet of storage) from the system-wide irrigation storage available at the Fort Peck Dam/Fort Peck Lake Project, Montana to meet municipal and industrial (M&I) water supply needs. Under Section 6 of the Flood Control Act of 1944 (Public Law 78-534), the Secretary of the Army is authorized to make agreements with states, municipalities, private concerns, or individuals for surplus water that may be available at any reservoir under the control of the Department. Terms of the agreements are normally for five (5) years, with an option for a five (5) year extension, subject to recalculation of reimbursement after the initial five (5) year period. This proposed action will allow the Omaha District to enter into surplus water agreements with interested water purveyors and to issue easements for up to the total amount of surplus water to meet regional water needs.
    [Show full text]
  • D Nelson-Stastny Pred. Pallids
    Appendix D Selected Introduced and Native Fish Species of the Missouri River in South Dakota and their Potential as Predators of Pallid Sturgeon Prepared for In Re: Missouri River System Litigation (03-MD- 01555)(and associated litigation) Prepared by Wayne Nelson-Stastny 20641 SD HWY 1806 SDGF&P Missouri River Fisheries Center Fort Pierre, South Dakota March 2004 Introduction This report discusses several native and introduced species to the Missouri River that have increased in abundance or have become important components of the fish community in the mainstem of the Missouri River in South Dakota. Because of the changes in the fish community, whether through increased abundance of a native species or stocking of a nonnative species, concern has been expressed regarding the potential impacts to native species, in particular predation on pallid sturgeon. Therefore, this report examines the reasons behind the changes to the fish community, the changes to the fish community itself, and individual species ecological characteristics. Lastly, the potential for predation of selected species is reviewed. General Change in Missouri River Four mainstem dams, Oahe, Big Bend, Fort Randall and Gavins Point, have dramatically changed the Missouri River that either passes through or borders South Dakota. The Missouri River was often referred to as the “Big Muddy” because of the turbid waters and sediment load. This characteristic was due in part to the two spring floods characteristic of the Missouri River that annually reorganized the river complex of chutes, side channels, back waters and sinuous main channel. A floodplain consisting of highly erodable soils and a relatively low gradient also added to the diversity of habitats and turbidity of the Missouri River (National Research Council 2002).
    [Show full text]
  • When You're on Your Own, We Are There with You
    The Wright County 151stMonitor year Number 30 Thursday, July 23, 2020 $1.00 per copy Official newspaper of Wright County www.clarionnewsonline.com Supervisors Grassley finally hits Wright establish speed limit near County on 99 County Tour Agribusiness Park By Bridget Shileny Wright County Monitor Editor By Bridget Shileny As of Monday morning, the U.S. Senator Chuck Wright County Monitor Editor state tracker puts the county’s Grassley (IA-R) greeted people At the Monday morning case count at 415. McGrath last Thursday with elbow or meeting of the Wright County noted though that she received fist bumps. Grassley, who was Board of Supervisors, Jeremy a press release that morning that originally scheduled to be Abbas, Assistant to the test results have been backed up in the county in mid-March, County Engineer, presented at the state level, so she expects finally made his way to Wright two resolutions for the board the case count to rise, though not County last week as part of to consider. The first was to massively. She added that she his whirlwind tour of the state establish a speed limit on Clay was on a meeting last week with during a two-week recess from Avenue in the Agribusiness hospitals and other healthcare the Senate. Wright County was Park. The board approved a 25 entities about handling the his 27th county visited in two mph speed limit on the road flu season with COVID still weeks with two more planned between 320th Street and 330th a major concern. McGrath later last week. Street.
    [Show full text]
  • Weighing Effects of Length Limits
    1 1 E WWeighingeighing tthehe 0 1 EEffectsffects HT TABL G ooff LLengthength 9 WEI / LLimitsimits TH G Biologists pay special attention 8 to walleye on Devils Lake, Lake Sakakawea, the Garrison Reach of the Missouri River downstream of Garrison Dam, and Lake Oahe, WALLEYE LEN WALLEYE 7 annually assessing whether any of the common length limits would have a positive eff ect. 6 By Scott Gangl 5 Every summer, armed with nets and other sam- pling gear, fi sheries biologists navigate some of the state’s popular fi shing waters to assess the status and health of fi sh populations. 4 Once the data is summarized, analyzed and care- fully considered, the information provides the basis for State Game and Fish Department manage- ment decisions. Such as, how many fi sh to stock CRAIG BIHRLE or whether special regulations would enhance fi sh populations for anglers. 3 Select anglers routinely request special length Some North Dakota anglers regularly call for regulations, like “minimum,” “maximum,” “one- special length regulations, with the expectation that over,” or “slot” limits, with the expectation that protecting big fi sh or allowing small fi sh to grow protecting big fi sh or allowing small fi sh to grow will make the fi shing better. will make the fi shing better. While Department fi sheries managers seriously consider these regula- 2 tion requests, the data often doesn’t support the perception, so implementing a regulation would not achieve the desired results. 8 ND Outdoors May 2013 1 May 2013.indd 8 5/10/2013 1:01:16 PM Biologists pay special attention to walleye on Dev- food, teamed with a robust northern pike population, ils Lake, Lake Sakakawea, the Garrison Reach of the has also increased natural mortality.
    [Show full text]
  • The Oahe Dam and the Standing Rock Sioux
    Copyright © 1976 by the South Dakota State Historical Society. All Rights Reserved. The Oahe Dam and the Standing Rock Sioux MICHAEL L. LAWSON In January 1960, 190 Indian families on the Standing Rock Sioux Reservation were evicted from their homes by the United States Army Corps of Engineers. In the midst of a fierce Dakota winter, with temperatures falling as low as thirty degrees below zero, these people were forced to gather all of their possessions and evacuate their land adjoining the Missouri River. The Corps of Engineers had declared that this land would soon be fiooded by the Oahe Dam. Because the federal government had not previously made funds available for the relocation and reconstruction of their homes, these Indian people were crowded into cold, cheerless trailer houses, which they had to maintain at their own expense until permanent housing could be prepared. Only later did the Standing Rock Sioux learn that this hardship had been entirely unnecessary. The eviction date established by the Corps had been an arbitrary one. Tribal members could have remained in their homes for several more months without interfering with completion of the Oahe Reservoir.^ This incident is all too typical of the recent history of government attitudes concerning Indian land and water rights. Because they have traditionally lived in the river valleys and perhaps because they have very little pohtical significance. Native Americans seem to have suffered to a great extent from both dislocation and human insensitivity in regard to the construction of fiood control and reclamation projects. In Pennsylvania, for example, the federal government violated 1.
    [Show full text]
  • Missouri River Strategic Plans 2017-2021
    South Dakota Department of Game, Fish and Parks Missouri River Strategic Plans 2017-2021 Fisheries Management Plan for Lake Sharpe Mark Fincel, Bob Hanten, Hilary Meyer, Mike Smith, Dan Jost, Kyle Potter, Jason Jungwirth, and Mike Greiner Formally adopted by GFP Commission December 12, 2016 Table of Contents Table of Contents 2 Vision Statement 3 Introduction 4 Study Area 4 Figure 1. 5 Management of Lake Oahe 6 Stocking 6 Fisheries Surveys 6 Recent Fishery Survey 7 Angler-use Survey 7 Recent Angler-use Survey 8 Fisheries Research 9 Aquatic Invasive Species 10 Regulation History 10 Table 1. 11 Reservoir Access and Habitat 12 Issues and Opportunities 13 Objectives and Strategies 17 Literature Cited 20 2 Vision statement for management of Lake Sharpe The state of South Dakota manages Lake Sharpe’s aquatic resources for the continued use and enjoyment of South Dakota Residents and its visitors. 3 Introduction The Missouri River and its reservoirs provide considerable economic and recreational activity for South Dakota. Lake Sharpe and its fisheries are part of a reservoir system which supports 40% of the angler use in South Dakota. Strategic planning is required to focus use of available resources to provide recreational opportunities that meet user expectations at the present time, while protecting resources for future use. Plans for the management of these resources are fundamental to their sustained and equitable use. This plan identifies current issues related to fisheries management of Lake Sharpe and objectives to address these issues. Fisheries management strategies are outlined to accomplish specific objectives. The Missouri River system represents one of the most economically and recreationally important aquatic resources in the state of South Dakota.
    [Show full text]
  • Beyond Dakota Access Pipeline: Energy Development and the Imperative for Meaningful Tribal Consultation
    Denver Law Review Volume 95 Issue 3 Article 3 November 2020 Beyond Dakota Access Pipeline: Energy Development and the Imperative for Meaningful Tribal Consultation Troy A. Eid Follow this and additional works at: https://digitalcommons.du.edu/dlr Recommended Citation Troy A. Eid, Beyond Dakota Access Pipeline: Energy Development and the Imperative for Meaningful Tribal Consultation, 95 Denv. L. Rev. 593 (2018). This Article is brought to you for free and open access by Digital Commons @ DU. It has been accepted for inclusion in Denver Law Review by an authorized editor of Digital Commons @ DU. For more information, please contact [email protected],[email protected]. BEYOND DAKOTA ACCESS PIPELINE: ENERGY DEVELOPMENT AND THE IMPERATIVE FOR MEANINGFUL TRIBAL CONSULTATION TROY A. EIDt ABSTRACT Federal agencies have a legal obligation to consult with Indian tribes on a government-to-government basis whenever projects require federal approval. The controversy over the Dakota Access Pipeline (DAPL) is re- shaping how tribes approach energy development. Protests and lawsuits against DAPL's owners delayed the pipeline for months and cost its in- vestors at least $750 million. The industry should learn from DAPL and rethink its approach to future energy projects involving tribes. This Article explains why the industry should embrace enhanced tribal consultation as a risk-management strategy. The adequacy of federal and state consultations with tribes on energy projects-not just whether the process occurs, but whether tribes' views are meaningfully considered in decision making-increasingly matters not only to tribes, but to policy makers and the courts. The private sector stands to gain by working pro- actively with tribes earlier in the project-planning process, including in pipeline routing decisions to address cultural resources concerns, and by encouraging tribes to participate in surveying, construction, and reclama- tion activities.
    [Show full text]
  • Dakota Access Pipeline Protests
    Standing Rock -- Dakota Access Pipeline Protests: IME acknowledges the protests at Standing Rock, and hopes to raise awareness of this historical event. It is our hope that students, faculty, and administration discuss the protests, and reflect upon issues such as: water access, land access, Native American rights, oil spills, free speech, violence versus peaceful civil disobedience, and media coverage. In the spirit of learning, here are some quick facts about the Pipeline and protests: ● The Dakota Access Pipeline (DAPL) is being built to carry large amounts of oil from North Dakota to Illinois by crossing the Missouri River and Native American/American Indian land. Protesters and opponents of DAPL say that it will disturb sacred Sioux sites and contaminate their drinking water. ● In August, 2016, members of the Standing Rock Sioux Tribe gathered in North Dakota to protest the construction of DAPL. ● Many other Native American/American Indian tribes have joined the Sioux in protest, making it one of the largest protests by Native Americans/American Indians in history. ● Early in September, 2016, the Department of Justice, the Department of the Army, and the Department of the Interior denied the construction company authorization to continue, but only in the Lake Oahe region. ● On October 9th, 2016, a U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit ruled that the construction of the Pipeline can continue on privately owned land. ● Protestors continue to gather in North Dakota, calling for environmental justice and justice for
    [Show full text]
  • Governor Jack Dalrymple State Capitol 600 East Boulevard Avenue Bismarck, ND 58505-0100
    Rabbi Jonah Pesner Director Arthur and Sara Jo Kobacker Building 2027 Massachusetts Avenue, NW Isabel P. "Liz" Dunst, Chair at Kivie Kaplan Way Commission on Social Action of Reform Judaism Washington, DC 20036 202.387.2800 Fax: 202.667.9070 E-mail: [email protected] Visit our website at www.rac.org Governor Jack Dalrymple State Capitol 600 East Boulevard Avenue Bismarck, ND 58505-0100 December 1, 2016 Dear Governor Dalrymple, On behalf of the Union for Reform Judaism, whose more than 900 congregations across North America, including those in Fargo and Grand Forks, encompass 1.5 million Reform Jews, and the Central Conference of American Rabbis, which includes over 2,000 Reform rabbis, I write to express our deep concern for the ongoing treatment of and danger to protesters at the Dakota Access Pipeline near the Standing Rock Sioux Tribe’s reservation. Our tradition teaches that all human beings are created in the image of God. In recognition of the Divine spark present in all, the protesters must be treated with dignity and respect, and afforded the ability to make their views heard without fear for their safety. As you well know, the Dakota Access Pipeline will allow crude oil to be transported over 1,170 miles from North Dakota to Illinois including underneath the Missouri River. The project could affect the physical and cultural well-being of the Standing Rock Sioux Tribe, whose ancestral burial grounds are situated less than one mile from the proposed building site and whose livelihood depends upon water from Lake Oahe,1 a reservoir formed by a dam on the Missouri River.
    [Show full text]
  • Protecting Our Homelands
    Protecting Our Homelands Infrastructure DAPL Keystone Page 1 of 7 Infrastructure Executive Order – January 24, 2017: Expediting Environmental Reviews and Approvals for High Priority Infrastructure Projects USET SPF Comments on Federal Infrastructure Decision-Making 11/30/2016 Page 2 of 7 NO Dakota Access Pipeline Upcoming Events Standing Rock Sioux Tribe STAND WITH STANDING ROCK Website Friday, March 10th, the Standing Rock Sioux Nation and grassroots Indigenous leaders will lead a march in prayer and action in Washington, DC ICT Article: Yankton Sioux Challenges 'Plenary Power' Doctrine in DAPL Case February 27 Energywise Article - On Capitol Hill, sacred lands spark fierce debate February 16 Article: Judge denies Tribes' request to block final link in Dakota pipeline February 13, 2017 Executive Order – January 24, 2017: Expediting Environmental Reviews and Approvals for High Priority Infrastructure Projects SRST Press Release: Trump Executive Memorandum on DAPL violates law and Tribal treaties January 24, 2017 Press Release: NCAI Expresses Concern with Presidential Actions to Short-Circuit Environmental Review Process for Dakota Access Pipeline January 24, 2017 Text of President Trump’s DAPL Memorandum January 24, 2017 The Hill Article: Trump advances Keystone, Dakota Access pipelines – Jan 24 NPR Article: Trump Gives Green Light to Keystone, Dakota Access Pipelines January 24 Standing Rock Sioux Tribe welcomes publication of Notice of Intent for EIS January 18, 2017 President Kirk Francis Statement on DAPL 12/06/2016 Memorandum from
    [Show full text]