The Standing Rock Sioux tribe has been fighting against the installation of an oil pipeline through south central North Dakota near their reservation. Over 200 tribes have gathered in North Dakato to support the Standing Rock Sioux tribe in protesting the Pipeline Project. The Native American tribes are fighting against the project in order to protect their sacred lands and their only source of fresh water.

Texas based Energy Transfer Partners secured permits from the Army Corp. of Engineers to construct the $3.7 billion and 1,170 miles of pipeline starting in Northwest North Dakota to Central Illinois.

The standing Rock Sioux tribe sued the Army Corp. of Engineers and Energy Transfer Partners to stop construction. The local judges took the Tribe’s side, which upset the oil company.

The oil company decided to take their case to a federal court who sided with the oil company. The Federal court said the oil company wasn’t doing anything wrong, and stated that the oil company complied with all the rules.

A few hours after the decision, the government and President Obama got involved as well. The government and Obama put a halt on the Pipeline Project and the stand-still is where it stands today. The protests still continue even though the private security company hired by the oil company has used guard dogs and pepper spray to intimidate the tribes.

In Sept. 2016, there was a pipeline leak in Alabama. This is the biggest spill for the Colonial Pipeline Company in 20 years. This leak disrupted the main oil line delivering oil to New York. The last time a spill like this happened was in 1996. The deliveries of oil to certain states have been delayed for safety purposes. The Governors of Alabama and Georgia have declared a state of emergency.

These kind of leaks are exactly what the Native Americans are afraid of.  Because the Energy Transfer Partners are proposing running their pipeline 100 feet below the Missouri River, a leak like the one in Alabama would be devastating to the tribe.

Due to the Presidential election coming up in November, this issue hasn’t gotten as much coverage from main media sites. The fight between the Native Americans  and the pipeline company is likely to go on through the election.

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