The US Army has announced that it will not approve an easement that would allow the proposed and highly controversial Dakota Access Pipeline to drill under the Missouri River, in a major victory to the Standing Rock Sioux Tribe after a months-long protest.
Assistant secretary for civil works Jo-Ellen Darcy said in a statement that alternative routes for the pipeline crossing needed to be explored.
“Although we have had continuing discussion and exchanges of new information with the Standing Rock Sioux and Dakota Access, it’s clear that there’s more work to do,” she said. “The best way to complete that work responsibly and expeditiously is to explore alternate routes for the pipeline crossing.”
Standing Rock tribal chairman Dave Archambault II said in a separate statement that the tribe and “all of Indian Country will be forever grateful to the Obama Administration fore this historic decision.”
“We wholeheartedly support the decision of the administration and commend with the utmost gratitude the courage it took on the part of President Obama, the Army Corps, the Department of Justice and the Department of the Interior to take steps to correct the course of history and to do the right thing.”
“We especially thank all of the other tribal nations and jurisdictions who stood in solidarity with us, and we stand ready to stand with you if and when your people are in need,” he said.
“Throughout this effort I have stressed the importance of acting at all times in a peaceful and prayerful manner – and that is how we will respond to this decision. With this decision we look forward to being able to return home and spend the winter with our families and loved ones, many of whom have sacrificed as well. We look forward to celebrating in wopila, in thanks, in the coming days.”
Archambault said the Army would be undertaking an environmental impact statement to look at possible alternative routes, and implored the incoming Trump administration to respect its decision.
While it’s not clear yet how the Trump and co. will deal with this situation come January, Archambault told MSNBC, “I would say that it’s over”, which is a hugely positive sentiment.
This historic announcement comes just days before the corps’ stated deadline for the thousands of protesters to abandon the makeshift camp on the Missouri River in North Dakota where they have been since April this year, being subject to rubber bullets, water cannons and tear gas from local law enforcement.
To my Lakota brothers,sisters & the other nations that came to #StandWithStandingRock, you fought the Good Fight and won! Rerouted! #NoDAPL
— Lou Diamond Phillips (@LouDPhillips) December 4, 2016
#NoDAPL 1.This is a temporary victory. We still need to light a fire under a Trump Administration to make sure this can be finally settled.
— Colin J. Choate (@ColinJChoate) December 4, 2016
With the Keystone XL, the EIS showed it would have a much larger enviro impact than they said, encouraging Obama to veto it. #NoDAPL
— Dr. Adrienne Keene (@NativeApprops) December 4, 2016
Photos: Getty / Pacific Press; Boston Globe.
