Thousands of Americans have been protesting the construction of an oil pipeline in North Dakota near Native American land.
The Dakota Access pipeline, worth $3.8 billion, stands to threaten more than 8,000 members of the Standing Rock Sioux and other tribes.
Owned by Energy Transfer Partners, the 1,172-mile project is expected to carry nearly a half-million barrels of crude oil daily from North Dakota’s oil fields through South Dakota, to an existing pipeline in Illinois.
The protests opposing its construction have been on since April. According to Standing Rock Sioux’s lawsuit, the project violates several federal laws, including the National Historic Preservation Act.
Several eminent personalities and celebrities have come out in support of the movement. In fact, the cast of the Justice League took a break from shooting to record an advertisement for the Change.org petition.
On Friday, in an unprecedented verdict, the Federal government overturned the decision of a Federal judge who rejected the tribe’s appeal to stop construction of the pipeline.
Three federal agencies appealed to the pipeline company to “voluntarily pause” work on a segment that tribal officials say holds sacred sites and artifacts.
Placed within a mile upstream of their reservation, it could impact the drinking water for the tribe and for the million people who rely on it downstream.
The issue around the Dakota Access Pipeline is one of the key debates for indigenous people in the United States to conserve their way of live.
(With inputs from AP)
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