1 Year Later Keystone Has A Pipeline Leak

A year ago, there were massive protests around the issue of building the Keystone pipeline. The key reason for major opposition to the Keystone pipeline is due to harmful environmental damage; if a pipeline leak were to occur there would be contamination of the environment. Native Americans and environmentalist were treated inhumanely protesting the Keystone pipeline, they were hosed with cold water at sub-freezing temperatures, rubber bullets were shot at them and law enforcement viciously tore down their camps. News of the Keystone pipeline leak is shattering because our government failed to listen to the people, they are the cause of the inhumane treatment protestors received. As a result, citizens of South Dakota and the environment will suffer. Moreover, Nebraska approving the extended Keystone XL pipeline illustrates the ignorance of local elected officials ignoring the issue of climate change and steadily pursuing a terrible policy harmful to the environment.

Sidebar: once Donald Trump was sworn in, he approved the pipeline, Trump also has stock in TransCanada the company who built the pipeline. It’s clear that approving terrible policy decisions for short-term profits is more important than our environment and the people who end up suffering in the long-term.

“According to the data, since 1986 there have been nearly 8,000 incidents (nearly 300 per year on average), resulting in more than 500 deaths, more than 2,300 injuries, and nearly $7 billion in damage.” This is according to the Center for Biological Diversity. Since 1986, for the past 31 years, our nation has experienced pipeline leaks spilling thousands of gallons of oil causing further harm to our nation. Besides this being unacceptable, the statistics on pipeline leaks and the growing damage to our environment is enough evidence for our elected officials to create and pass laws protecting the environment.

“Thousands of protesters opposed the planned route because it shuttled the pipeline under Lake Oahe on the Missouri River, a burial site sacred to the Standing Rock Sioux and a major source of drinking water for the community. If the proposed pipeline were built under the lake, and it leaked, potentially millions of gallons of oil could contaminate the Missouri River.” Here we are a year later, Keystone has a leak, causing damage to South Dakota, the people, and their land. In the long-term, it’s the land and the people who will suffer because now they live in an unhealthy environment. Also, Nebraska approving the extended Keystone XL pipeline is a blow to the Native Americans and environmentalist. The approval illustrates the issue of climate change is a We Don’t Care, view to have after the harsh treatment Native Americans and environmentalist endured at the hands of our own government. More importantly, Nebraska approvals illustrate the ongoing fight we will have to protect our environment from bad policies to end the goal of short-term profits.

Sidebar: since the Keystone pipeline leak, Donald Trump has remained silent on this issue and his silence on the issue is disgusting. Trump’s silence on the issue illustrates is lack of respect for the Native Americans and environmentalist protestors who were mistreated by our own government for their opposition to the Keystone pipeline. Furthermore, it’s not surprising Trump will remain silent on this issue because it’s another terrible decision that has backfired.

When we protest we are demonstrating our opposition to issues and policies that have a negative impact on our nation. It’s clear the short-term profit for our elected officials is more important than the long-term care of the environment and the people who are affected by pipeline leaks.

The oil spill and Nebraska approval of the extended Keystone XL pipeline is enough evidence for our elected officials to not make terrible policy decisions when it comes to the environment.

Sources:

Biological DiversityBusiness InsiderNY Times