The Pros And Cons Of The Dakota Access Pipeline

The Keystone XL pipeline would do little in reducing the United States dependency on Middle Eastern oil, which is actually goal established by president Obama for the sake of national security and economic growth. Another issue is that the out of the 42,000 jobs TransCanada has claimed the new pipeline will create, an analysis done by the State Department disagrees and claims “The proposed Project would generate approximately 50 jobs during operations.” All the harmful effects that the pipeline would have on the environment and the public health is not worth the creation of merely 50 permanent

Almost 95 million barrels of oil and fuel are produced each day in order to provide energy and fuel to people the world over. A major component of the oil industry is the transportation of oil through various means including oil pipelines. These pipelines are capable of transporting thousands of barrels of oil thousands of miles per day. In the United States one possible pipeline has caused a lot of controversy and discussion on the impact it will have on the United States. The difficulty in deciding if the Keystone XL Pipeline should be built is in whether the possibility of economic growth outweighs the possibility of environmental destruction. In order to make a decision, one must first look into the history of oil pipelines. It is crucial

With recent event the Obama’s Administration has halted the further construction of the North Dakota Access pipeline. This event have sparked the nation into an uprise in protests and public speaking against North Dakota Access. Now thrusted out onto a global stage, the struggle on both sides intensifies either is not going to stand down. The people of Standing Rock Indian Reservation are protesting against North Dakota Access to continue construction of the “North Dakota Access Pipeline”. Additionally the Army Corps of Engineers has denied the permit that allows construction underneath the Mississippi and Missouri River. These events have now escalated to national attention. It is not in the public safety or well being to have further construction or completion of the North Dakota Access Pipeline should it have negative environmental impacts and be harmful to the American people. ("Federal Government Halts Construction Of Part Of North Dakota Pipeline.")

Throughout this paper I will try to prove that the proposed establishment of the Keystone XL Pipeline is a direct infringement upon the human rights of the Standing Rock Sioux Tribe of North and South Dakota. In order to make this claim I shall directly address three elements: First, the evidence of possible inequality of this situation, secondly the explanatory progress of how and why this situation has come to be as it is, and finally the justice of how things ought to be (Walker, 2012).

As a way to directly link the unrefined tar-sands oil from Alberta, Canada to the refineries in Texas, there is no doubt that the Keystone XL Pipeline remains a topic of controversy. As with many large projects, there are both positive and negative consequences that result from its construction. While there are potential economic benefits like the creation of infrastructure-related jobs and a potential shift from energy dependence, there are many dangers to the building of the pipeline. The notion of building a pipeline that connects Canada and the United States for economic reasons is neither completely unjustifiable nor unreasonable, but given the current circumstances, in which ecological damage and neglect on the part of TransCanada are likely, I cannot support the building of the Keystone XL pipeline.

Currently, in the United States, native populations are fighting desperately for their right to exist. The Dakota Access Pipeline is a major example of this. Proposed in 2014 and approved of in 2016, the Dakota Access Pipeline is a pipeline made to transfer light sweet crude oil from North Dakota to production areas in Illinois. Though sounding good economically, not only would the pipeline run under part of the Standing Rock Sioux Reservation, but it would also run under their primary water source, the Missouri river. Whilst Energy Transfusion (the company building the pipeline) has a vast record of spillage and whilst an oil spill would demolish their water and food source, it’s not only their lives at danger. “They literally bulldozed the ancestors right out of the ground, along with destroying tipi rings and cairns,”(McCauley). Standing Rock’s culture has also been threatened. Without any warning, the Dakota Access Pipeline’s workers bulldozed straight through a sacred burial site, digging up their bones without a care in the world. The government didn’t even comment on it. If someone had bulldozed through a historical cemetery would the government care then? The willingness to let a company bulldoze straight through their culture, to dig up their history and discard it as a lesser issue than industry is a huge blow. Are we not supposed to be the land of understanding? The cultural melting pot of

Oil is a significant essential in this society because it runs automobiles such as cars, buses, truck etc. Without oil, transportation, business and economic trade wouldn’t be possible. “The Dakota Access Pipeline Project is a $3.78 billion conduit being built from the oil-rich Bakken fields in North Dakota. .transport up to 570,000 barrels a day of crude to refineries and markets in the Gulf and on the East Coast” (Ablow). The Dakota Access Pipeline is funded by Energy Transfer Partners. They believe that will have a huge impact on the economic state of the United States because it will “bring an estimated $156 million in sales and income taxes to state and local governments as well as add 8,000 to 12,000 construction jobs”(Park). With over 10,000 of jobs and $150 million dollars that would bring into this country, The Dakota Access Pipeline is a project that is beneficial to the local and national economy of the country. “In addition, the Dakota Access Pipeline will improve overall safety to the public and environment. It will reduce crude oil shipped by truck and by rail and increase the amount shipped by pipeline” (Energy Transfers). Minimizing the trucks in delivering oil will help to prevent global warming and climate change. After the pipeline was approved by the government, The members of the Standing Rock Sioux Tribe protested near the construction of The Dakota Access Pipeline. The tribe members are deeply against the project because it would damage their

Environmental welfare has become one of our most important priorities since the widely-spread awareness of climate change. Recently, there has been a controversial subject arousing from the midwest that is allegedly threatening our environment - the construction of Dakota Access Pipeline (DAPL). This $3.8 billion, 1,172-mile pipeline project will be crossing four states from North Dakota through Illinois to supply crude oil coming from the oil-rich Bakken area (Yan). DAPL will supposedly create new jobs like construction and maintenance, lower gas prices as we do not have to rely exporting oil from overseas, and boost energy production in our country as we continue to consume more energy resources. However, induced with negative feelings from

In the October of 2015, oil prices have dropped to their lowest since 2008 and Canada has lost over 35,000 jobs, and the value of the loonie has dropped to a mere 77 cents compared to the U.S. Dollar. As Canada desperately clings onto the failing economy, it turns its attention to The Keystone Pipelines. The Keystone XL (KXL) pipeline was an idea proposed in 2008 by the TransCanada energy company, to deliver 830,000 barrels of oil each day beginning in Hardisty, Alberta, and extending south to Steele City, Nebraska. TransCanada claims to bring more jobs, energy security, and benefit to the Canadian and American economy. Yet, President Obama denied the proposal in 2015. Although it was a huge disappointment to Canada, the decision to deny permission for further construction of the pipeline was the right one. The future of Canada’s economy should not rely on the Keystone XL pipeline, because the devastating environmental risks, the instability of the oil industry, and Canada’s ability to expand other industries.

The Dakota Access Pipeline (DAPL), a pipeline that runs from the Dakotas to Illinois, is currently under construction in the sacred land of the Standing Rock Sioux Native American tribe. This tribe, along with many other tribes, is leading boycotts against the pipeline. They fear the 30-inch diameter tube will risk pollution and oil spills in their primary water source: the Missouri River. However, since the land is owned by the Federal Government, they have the final say in what happens, whether it is ethical or not. People from all over the country have gathered with the protesters, exercising their first amendment rights. Measures such as problems in vehicle transportation of oil, the need for oil, and the Sioux sacred land all lead to

Innovative thinkers and large minds of industry have decided that building a massive pipeline running through many rivers, cities, and one of the largest freshwater reserves in the United States is a good business idea. They will be able to transfer giant amounts of oil across a set distance very easily. This section from an informative website explains the project, "The Keystone XL Pipeline Project is a proposed 1,179-mile (1,897 km), 36-inch-diameter crude oil pipeline, beginning in Hardisty, Alta., and extending south to Steele City, Nebraska. It is intended to be a critical infrastructure project for the energy security of the United States and for strengthening the American economy."(TransCanada). These are factors of why building this pipeline will be useful. Many costs of transportation will be easily avoided and the time is takes will be shortened significantly.

The projected Dakota Access Pipeline would be beneficial for various reasons. To start, this huge creation would be 1,172 miles long and run "from North Dakota's northwest Bakken region down to a market hub outside Patoka, Illinois" (Mother Jones). With this being said, the construction of this massive pipeline would provide an estimated 12,000 jobs. In addition, crude oil would be able "to reach major refining companies in a more direct, cost-effective, safer and environmentally responsible manner" (Dakota Access Pipeline). To support the demand for crude oil now, railroads and trucks are transporting it to major U.S. markets. However, if this pipeline were to be approved it

Brown (2014) used an instrumental variables (IV) estimation to calculate that 12.7 additional jobs is associated with every billion cubic feet of natural gas production with 7.3 of these created in the mining sector, meaning there is little economic spill over into other sectors. The average county experienced an increase in wage per job of 5.8% and a 13.5% increase in population. However one instrument may not be exogenous if shale formations are known before in a county, production will more likely occur. Another problem is using the change in natural gas production as an instrument does not take into account the economic effects which come from exploration and construction before production starts.

Native Americans are being disrespected, harmed, and their homeland is being taken from them. Am I talking about events taken place centuries ago? No, because these unfortunate circumstances yet again are occurring right here, now, in the present. This horrid affair has a name: The Dakota Access Pipeline. This Pipeline is an oil transporting pipeline, which is funded by the U.S Army Corps of Engineers, who have devised a plan for the pipeline to run through the states of North Dakota, South Dakota, Iowa, and Illinois. However, unfortunately, this pipeline will run straight through the reservation of the Standing Rock Sioux Tribe. The Standing Rock Sioux tribe, expressing their distress for the pipeline have said, that the pipeline will be “Destroying our burial sites, prayer sites, and culturally significant artifacts,” Arguments for the pipeline however have tried to counter this claim, trying to emphasize that “The pipeline wouldn 't just be an economic boon, it would also significantly decrease U.S. reliance on foreign oil”, and that the pipeline is estimated to produce “374.3 million gallons of gasoline per day.”, which could help the sinking oil economy. (Yan, 2016) However, despite the economical growth it could achieve, the Dakota Access Pipeline could have damaging environmental effects on the Standing Rock Sioux Tribe and the areas surrounding.

Many of the opponents argue the pipeline only creates temporary jobs for two years during construction, and continually report the lower end estimated economic benefits. In contrast, the proponents typically exaggerate the economic benefits proclaim the lasting stimulus the project will provide. The truth usually lies somewhere in between. Undoubtedly, the construction phase of the project will provide the most immediate benefit to the US economy than the operation and maintenance phases of the project. During the construction phase, it is estimated that $3.4 billion dollars would be added to the U.S. gross domestic product (GDP). Of that, roughly $2.05 billion would be earmarked for employee earnings related to the construction phase. However, after the construction phase, approximately only 50 permanent employees and 15 temporary contractors would remain to operate the pipeline. (Department of State, 2017) Evidently, this project will not provide a long-term windfall of economic stimulus. Nevertheless, $2.05 billion dollars in employee earnings in the next two years during slower economic times is nothing to write