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TransCanada Faces United Front in South Dakota: Tribes and Landowners Say NO KXL
Staff Report - Native News Online, August 21, 2014
Disclaimer: The views expressed here are not the official position of the IWW (or even the IWW’s EUC) and do not necessarily represent the views of anyone but the author’s.
IHANKTONWAN, SOUTH DAKOTA – TransCanada faces yet another hurdle in its effort to build the Keystone XL pipeline. A coalition of longexisting pipeline fighters in South Dakota have come together to extend their share division of protecting the land, the water and the peoples of the area. An alliance of Protect the Sacred Movement of the Ihanktonwan/Yankton; the Bridger Spiritual Camp, Pte Ospaye; the Lower Brule Spiritual Camp, Wiconi Un Tipi; the Rosebud Spiritual Camp, Oyate Wahacanka Woecun; Dakota Rural Action; and the Indigenous Environmental Network are launching No KXL Dakota, a united effort to fight the Keystone XL pipeline.
Before TransCanada can build within state borders, the company must certify its permit, proving it still meets the original permit conditions. The coalition is preparing to fight the permit certification at the South Dakota Public Utilities Commission, and expects the company to file for certification this year.
“Oceti Rising,” says Faith Spotted Eagle, with Protect the Sacred, “is reaffirming our sovereignty as nations and strengthening our protection of Mother Earth. Water is life, Mni Wiconi. Oceti means fire and could also represent unity between non Native and Natives in protecting their homefires.”
The No KXL Dakota coalition kicks off August 22 with the visit from the Lummi Nation Totem Pole to the Ihanktonwan/Yankton at the Ft. Randall Dam; and August 23 with Wiconi Un Tipi, where the Lummi Nation will visit the Lower Brule spirit camp. The coalition will be sponsoring a “Traveling Tipi,” painted by native artist Mark Powers, which will visit communities around the state educating South Dakotansabout the Keystone XL pipeline.
“In the spring of 2008 Dakota Rural Action began organizing farmers and ranchers into a landowners group that has worked to ensure a safer pipeline and a fairer easement with TransCanada,” explains Paul Seamans, Dakota Rural Action chair.
“During the six years since DRA has formed alliances with many different groups that are in opposition to the KXL. Having learned of the harm to our environment caused by the mining and transporting of tar sands oil, we oppose the pipeline and will work to ensure the South Dakota permit is not certified,” Seamans continued.
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