Standing Rock Sioux Tribe Case Study

The destruction of sacred lands and tarnishing of local environments are dishonesties adding to the ever increasing decay on the world. The Dakota access pipeline will increase the rate fossil fuels are consumed by oil refineries and petroleum plants for oil companies and governments seeking to profit from the faster transportation of oil. The Standing Rock Sioux Tribe are one of many tribes and citizens protesting the pipeline until the government re-assesses the pipelines effects on the environment and cease construction. The distaste of the pipeline lies with Dakotas Access’s malicious practices, environmental & cultural desecration with its construction.
In order to complete the pipeline Dakota Access has undertaken injurious business practices to meet certain deadlines. When construction undertook in sacred tribal lands
a lawsuit was filed on the Army Corps of Engineers, an agency under the department of defense branched off the executive branch, as part of the ongoing trial several documents provided by the Sioux acknowledged several archeological locations state authorities missed previously. For instance, one of the archeology locations “described a large stone feature depicting constellation Iyokaptan Tanka” was destroyed during construction 24 hours after presenting it in court (Robinson Meyer). Furthermore, Standing Rock Sioux member and archaeologist Tim Mentz reviewed DAPL’s surveying plans discovering they used dated information from 1985 and did not independently survey the area. Additionally, the Sioux allege the permitting of the DAPL was rushed and did not consult with the tribe prior to the plans approval was certain. As seen, the foul practices by Dakota Access is a clear indication of hidden information causing the project to be rushed.
A project of this scale will necessitate partial destruction of local environments which people have the right to protest.
Many concerns of the pipeline include a possible rupture that can pollute the Missouri River and contaminate water sources in the state. The Standing Rock Sioux tribe acknowledge this concern and are protestesting their disdain of this possibility. Moreover, the protesters are being confronted with private security and state authorities to suppress them. However, it is within their first amendment right, from the Bill of Rights, to oppose what they deemed more harmful than good. Altogether, The construction has not only begun to destroy their tribal burial mounds but has a potential to create a enormous environmental disaster that protesters are trying to avoid.
As can be seen the Dakota Access Pipeline is a project that is costing more than what its worth with shady business practices along the environmental and culturally devastating effects that have been forthcoming. This project is still long ways from completion yet have been causing severe problems that need to be addressed before the project can continue any
further.