After months of protesting the DAPL in the face of physical threat and an ordered evacuation due to severe weather, the Standing Rock Sioux tribe can, at last, see that all of their efforts have made a difference. Jo-Ellen Darcy, the Army’s assistant secretary for civil works, reported on Sunday, December 4th, “The best way to complete that work responsibly and expeditiously is to explore alternate routes for the pipeline crossing.”
This is a huge accomplishment for activists who have supported the protest both by being at Standing Rock and by sending in donations for the cause. Lilian Molina of the environmentalist group Greenpeace said in response to the decision, “This is a monumental victory in the fight to protect indigenous rights and sovereignty.” The question about what will happen during Donald Trump’s presidency regarding the pipeline remains. He owns stock in the company that is building the pipeline and has said that he supports the project. Of course, we don’t know if that means he supports it as it most recently stood- that is, crossing through sacred Native American land with the potential to pollute their water supply- or if he’s actually in favor of it avoiding the area. We’ll have to stay on our toes and follow the story as it goes from here.
Thank you to all those who have been activists on the ground at Standing Rock and for those who could not be there themselves but have spoken out against the project and have sent donations in support of those on site! One of the great lessons to take from the activism at Standing Rock is that we have to be conscious of the impact our decisions today will have on future generations and our planet. Good work continues to be done throughout the world every day and thankfully we can add this momentous triumph to the list of the times the good guys have won!