Sustainable Joe Steps In To Save ND’s DAPL Pipeline?

It's like the 1730's all over again. Mandan, Hidatsa, and Arikara vs Standing Rock Sioux and segments of the Lakota Nation. Everything old is new again! Will they, who have the most stuff, proclaim victory? Perhaps so, as the Biden administration may be be moving towards a much easier relation with the oil rich MHA nation versus the much media maligned Sioux tribes to the south.

Always my friends...follow the money.

Always.

As a "progressive" party (in terms of trying hard to get things done), can they still take credit for, an alliance between a tribal sovereign nation, and STILL make friends with all the other interests in the region?

Biden, it's a no-brainer!

So with MHA on board, Biden's administration tiptoes into a "we thought you was with us on this" scenario, and could come out on top as a supporter of Tribal rights and fights. Just maybe not the ally that a southern Tribe may have been hoping for...

The tribes and environmental groups, encouraged by some of Biden’s moves on climate change and fossil fuels, were hoping he would step in and shut down the pipeline north of the reservation that straddles the Dakotas border.

Instead, the Corps in an update ordered by the judge repeated its stance from last month’s hearing that the shutdown issue remains in Boasberg’s lap.

“It is possible that in the EIS process the Corps would find new information,” the document stated, referring to the environmental impact statement, “but to date the Corps is not aware of information that would cause it to evaluate the injunction factors differently than in its previous filing.”

 

So, maybe the Corps doesn't believe they could find any more to dispute their non- complete studies that were not conducted earlier.  This from the AP May 3rd,

 The Biden administration reiterated that the Dakota Access oil pipeline should continue to operate while the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers conducts an extensive environmental review, although the Corps said again it could change its mind.

The Standing Rock Sioux and other tribes have filed for an injunction asking U.S. District Judge James Boasberg to shut down the pipeline while the Corps conducts a second review, expected to be completed by March 2022.

They don't have many options other than to leave it to the Judge.  Theoretically of course, as there are always endless legal avenues to go around decisions that don't agree with you and your buddies.

So Biden's administration seems to be hedging it's new found Native Nation cred and kicking back with a...I'll guess we see how this works out position.  I'm sure it's a relief for their otherwise aggressively intrusive policy that on all fronts is impacting many energy sectors. Leaving the Sioux to the south wondering...

“Given all this, it’s baffling that when it comes to the Dakota Access pipeline, Biden’s Army Corps is standing in the way of justice for Standing Rock by opposing a court order to shut down this infrastructure while environmental and safety consequences are fully evaluated,” Earthjustice attorney Jan Hasselman said.

Don't let oil and water separate Tribal progress...although it does create a slippery slope y'all!