Kassandra Schuyler North Dakota assignment

North Dakota Oil Pipeline: Battle. Who's Fighting and Why
Main Idea:

An oil pipeline is being constructed in North Dakota. An American Sioux Indian tribe called the Standing Rock,and others living near the oil pipeline are protesting the building of the pipeline. There main reason is because leaks and spills could be ruinous and hazardous to the environment and public health.

Native American protest North Dakota pipeline, cite effects on water
main idea:

Native American tribes living near where the Missouri River and the Cannon Ball river meet, are protesting the building of an underground oil pipeline called the Dakota access.

Shared characteristics of the articles


1.Each article is about the Native American Sioux tribe in North Dakota. This benefits the understanding because historically the native americans have claimed to be treated unfairly under the American government.


2.The articles all mention how the Sioux are protesting the building of the Dakota access oil pipeline. This helps me understand the article, because the Native Americans have been protesting various issues based on the location of their reservations.


3.The articles also mention that one of the reasons for protesting the building of the pipeline is because an oil leak would do damage to the water supply and the environment. This basically points out the fact that whenever you build an oil pipeline, you run the risk of damaging the environment through oil leak, and also run the risk of possible contamination of the water.


4.While all three articles mention the Sioux as the main protestors, each article mentions a separate group of people that were also protesting the pipeline being built. This is beneficial to know because its interesting to hear that other people then just the Sioux, including celebrities, farmers, and others who live near the pipeline being built


  1. All 3 articles mention the fact that this protest has risen to the level of the federal court system. This helps you understand the seriousness of the protesting, and the complexity of the problem.

Lawyers from earthjusticE are representing the Indian tribe called the Standing Rock Sioux in their efforts to try to stop the construction of the pipeline.

Until the judge makes his decision on the pipeline, the protests are continuing. One protestor is 80 year old Clyde Belle Court who was active in other Native American protests and Jasilyn Charger, 20 years old a young Native American.

Construction has been halted due to protests from native leaders and even Hollywood celebrities.

How the Standing Rock Sioux should have been able to stop that pipeline


Main Idea: The standing Rock Sioux tribe wants to halt the building of the Dakota access pipeline. However, they will not be able to do this because they do not actually own the land. Because the land is a reservation, they actually have no property rights. In addition, the Sioux are the poorest group in America and could not afford the land.

The Sioux is the most impoverished group in America. Unlike the Senecas, who have made enough money to fight for their land in court.

Others have tried to raise money, or to stop something they thought was unfair. For example, those protecting the Langston Hughes house.

The Sioux are not in the position to buy the land next to the reservation , because they don't actually own the land/they have no property rights. The land is held by the federal government.

Pipeline information and safety

Pipeline companies claim moving oil and natural gas in underground pipes is safe, but pipeline spills and ruptures occur regularly.

In a 2012 example of pipeline safety, more then half of the countries pipelines were at least 50 years old causing a public health and environmental risk.

There are millions of miles of pipeline across the United States.While there is no protest to most of those lines, Proposed major pipelines (keystone XL, the Dakota access, the Sandpiper) have generated huge protests from people living near them, and environmental protest groups.

Protesters Main Argument

The Sioux tribe also says historical and cultural reviews of the land where the pipeline will be buried are inadequate.

If the pipeline were to break, it could cause serious damage and destruction to the land and surrounding environment.

The standing rock Sioux tribe says the pipeline goes right through ancestral lands. Even though these lands are not part of their reservation, they are areas where their ancestors hunted and lived.

Pro-Pipeline Main Argument

The pipeline will add millions to the local economy.

The construction of the pipeline will add 8,000-12,000 construction jobs that are needed.

The Pipeline would carry 470,000 barrels of oil a day.