On Jan. 18, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers announced that it will conduct a limited Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) on the section of the Dakota Access pipeline near Lake Oahe and the Standing Rock Sioux Tribe’s land and reservation in North Dakota. [1]
While we are thrilled that President Obama and the Army Corps of Engineers are listening to Indigenous nations and Americans across the country who have raised concerns about the Dakota Access pipeline — it’s not enough simply to examine the pipeline’s impact on the Missouri River in North and South Dakota.
We demand that the Army Corps’ environmental review consider the pipeline’s impact on Iowa’s land and water, too.
We further insist that the Corps’ environmental review of the pipeline include its demonstrable exacerbation of the climate crisis.
The letter released today by the Corps states that the agency will “analyze, at a minimum:”
- Alternative locations for the pipeline crossing the Missouri River;
- Potential risks and impacts of an oil spill, and potential impacts to Lake Oahe, the Standing Rock Sioux Tribe’s water intakes, and the Tribe’s water, treaty fishing, and hunting rights;
- Information on the extent and location of the Tribe’s treaty rights in Lake Oahe.
- The range of issues, alternatives, and potential impacts may be expanded based on comments received in response to this notice and at public scoping meetings.
This language from the Army Corps announcement makes it clear that it’s crucial that all Water Protectors and Pipeline Fighters, especially Iowans, weigh in to demand the Army Corps expand its environmental review of Dakota Access to include the state of Iowa.
Thanks for standing with us.
Ed Fallon and the Bold Iowa team
REFERENCES:
[1] “Notice of Intent to Prepare an Environmental Impact Statement,” FederalRegister.gov, 1/18/17.
