{"id":9964,"date":"2020-05-07T16:17:50","date_gmt":"2020-05-07T21:17:50","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/unitedresourceconnection.org\/cannon-ball-nd-58528\/pipeline-loses-permit-but-construction-continues\/"},"modified":"2020-05-07T16:17:50","modified_gmt":"2020-05-07T21:17:50","slug":"pipeline-loses-permit-but-construction-continues","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/unitedresourceconnection.org\/cannon-ball-nd-58528\/pipeline-loses-permit-but-construction-continues\/","title":{"rendered":"Pipeline loses permit, but construction continues"},"content":{"rendered":"
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Just before the court decision, grassroots pipeline resisters held a water prayer ceremony in Sweetgrass, Mont., where the pipeline is being built across the Canada-U.S. border under a separate permit. COURTESY \/ Kokipasni \u2013 No Fear<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

GREAT FALLS, Montana \u2013 Even after a federal judge here revoked permission for the Keystone XL Pipeline construction across unceded 1868 Ft. Laramie Treaty territory in mid-April, the Canadian builder of the private hazardous materials infrastructure was still proceeding with work in May all along the route across Montana, South Dakota and Nebraska.<\/p>\n

When Montana U.S. District Judge Brian Morris revoked the federal Army Corps of Engineers\u2019 Nationwide Permit 12 for TC Energy Corp.\u2019s proposed route across hundreds of Missouri River Basin waterways on April 15, it was a moment of celebration for tribal opponents of the 1,200-mile toxic tar-sands crude-oil conduit.<\/p>\n

Judith LeBlanc, director of the Native Organizer Alliance, pronounced the permit revocation \u201ca victory for treaty rights and democracy.\u201d<\/p>\n

The judge banned any and all \u201cdredge or fill activities\u201d until the Corps of Engineers conducts and completes a public consultation process, as per the Endangered Species Act.<\/p>\n

LeBlanc noted that enforcement of the Endangered Species Act provides tribal nations \u201ca renewed opportunity to exercise our legal and inherent rights to protect the water of the Missouri River bioregion for all who live, farm and work on the land.\u201d<\/p>\n

Faith Spotted Eagle, founder of the Yankton Sioux Brave Heart Society, added: \u201cFor years, our tribes\u2019 concerns that the Army Corps\u2019 Nationwide Permit process was arbitrarily contrived with no clear path for consultations or legality have been ignored. Today, thankfully, we were heard as the water crossings spoke loud and clear against the Keystone XL Pipeline.\u201d<\/p>\n

The non-profit Indigenous Environmental Network gathered reactions from Indian country on the case filed by the statewide grassroots Northern Plains Resource Council, headquartered in Billings, Mont.<\/p>\n

Dallas Goldtooth, Keep it in the Ground coordinator for the Indigenous Environmental Network, responded: \u201cWe wish to recognize the tremendous work by our allies! This decision vindicates what we have always known. We can only hope that our organization\u2019s ongoing litigation will receive a comparable decision as well. In the meantime, we fight on in defense of the sacredness of Mother Earth!\u201d<\/p>\n

The network and tribes have an ongoing case against the pipeline project in the same district court, arguing treaty rights violations.<\/p>\n

The morning of the court decision, grassroots pipeline resisters held a water prayer ceremony in Sweetgrass, Mont., where the pipeline is being built across the Canada-U.S. border under a separate permit.<\/p>\n

Their group, Kokipasni <\/em>\u2014 No Fear, describes its adherents as \u201cfrontline organizers from the Fort Peck Assiniboine Sioux tribal nation protecting our land, water, and sky.\u201d<\/p>\n

Women and youth of Kokipasni, led by Angeline Cheek, took part in an Assiniboine Medicine Lodge Pipe ceremony, \u201cpraying for our people, the 24,000 clean water drinkers of Northeast Montana, the land, the sky, the sacred sites and even for the KXL workers coming in from the four corners of the United States not protected against the Covid-19,\u201d said celebrant Lance Fourstar.<\/p>\n

\u201cI prayed that this pipeline be stopped, the hearts and minds of all sides be touched by the creator and given guidance, strength, endurance and protection. I prayed for our Medicine Lodge, that we are protected against this pandemic,\u201d he explained.<\/p>\n

Blackfeet and Northern Cheyenne tribal members joined the Assiniboine from Ft. Peck Indian Reservation, which is entirely bounded on its southern side by the Missouri River.<\/p>\n

\u201cI was one of the kids who had to drink contaminated water from the oil boom in the 60\u2019s said Ft. Peck elder Cheyenne Foote. \u201cWe finally have clean water and now we see history is ready to repeat itself. I do not want my grandkids to experience the same illness I did from drinking poisonous water.\u201d<\/p>\n

Ft. Peck is one of the many tribal nations of Oceti Sakowin that has spoken out against TC Energy\u2019s Keystone XL Pipeline for more than a decade, Kokipasni observed. \u201cOur voices have been ignored as the pipeline is pushed on our territories. We will stand firm against the KXL; we need you to stand with us.\u201d<\/p>\n

Participants described being \u201csurrounded by helicopters, private security, border patrol and drones.\u201d They wore masks, in line with public health protocol for slowing the spread of the Covid-19 viral epidemic, which they warned is an ever-greater threat with the advent of pipeline construction worker man-camps.<\/p>\n

Fourstar complained that pipeline security guards are not practicing physical distancing, another part of the protocol. Corporate guidelines for the pandemic promise that Keystone XL operations require \u201cCovid-19 training will be provided to all employees upon arrival to site, and physical distancing requirements will be maintained.\u201d<\/p>\n

TC Energy Corp. announced a $20,000 Covid-19 crisis relief donation on April 24, to Montana\u2019s Valley County, which overlaps the Ft. Peck Reservation and is 9 percent Native American.<\/p>\n

The corporation (formerly TransCanada Corp.) said it will distribute the charity in the form of dry goods during the third week of May. It will consist of totes filled with household cleaners and hygiene products, such as toothpaste, dish and laundry soap and shampoo. Families in need will be able to drive up and receive the products, it said.<\/p>\n

TC Energy Corp. gathered responses to the recent court ruling from its temporary construction labor pool, announcing a joint statement April 17 by the North America\u2019s Building Trades Unions, the American Petroleum Institute and the Interstate Natural Gas Association of America.<\/p>\n

They agreed, \u201cBased on our initial review, one thing is clear: The judge\u2019s decision to vacate NWP12 went well beyond what the plaintiffs requested. The decision creates tremendous uncertainty in an already uncertain time and could lead to lengthy delays.\u201d<\/p>\n

TC Energy\u2019s first quarter 2020 report to investors at their May 1 meeting, maintained that the project is still expected to be functioning in 2023. \u201cWe are reviewing options to address the impact of this ruling and to secure the necessary authorizations to continue with planned Keystone XL construction,\u201d it said.<\/p>\n

Pipeline watchdogs documented truckers and contractors working at construction sites, stockpiling apparently weathered pipe sections, in South Dakota and Nebraska.<\/p>\n

Native pipeline fighters from all three impacted states produced a poster dissing the pipeline and sent it to their governors. They asked people to sign the related online \u201cCancel KXL\u201d petition at nokxlpromise.org\/covid-19\/<\/a>.<\/p>\n

(Contact Talli Nauman at talli.nauman@gmail.com<\/a>)<\/p>\n

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Just before the court decision, grassroots pipeline resisters held a water prayer ceremony in Sweetgrass, Mont., where the pipeline is being built across the Canada-U.S. border under a separate permit. COURTESY \/ Kokipasni \u2013 No Fear GREAT FALLS, Montana \u2013 Even after a federal judge here revoked permission for the <\/p>\n

Read More<\/a>
Shared by Native Sun News Today<\/a> May 7, 2020<\/p>\n

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