As what will may likely be the case with many of the new president’s policies and proclamations, the Dakota Access Pipeline may move forward as initially planned—even though many thought it wouldn’t.
Although protesters of the pipeline got a victory in December, when the Army Corps under President Obama denied the easement that would have allowed construction to continue, there are those are now protesting Trump’s executive order which may rescind the December action and allow construction of the pipeline to continue.
In fact, Reuters reports the chief executive of Phillips 66 said on Friday he expects the Dakota Access Pipeline to start operations in the second quarter, even though the project is still in the midst of legal battles and a U.S. regulatory review.
Tribal leaders, activists and environmentalists believe that the 1,170-mile pipeline will accelerate climate change and could desecrate sacred burial grounds and pollute water sources.
The Washington Post reported on Friday that the Trump administration was dispatching Bureau of Indian Affairs agents to help clear Dakota Access Pipeline protesters from the Standing Rock Sioux reservation.
Authorities arrested 74 protesters on Wednesday, some of whom moved to higher land owned by Energy Transfer Partners.
Interestingly, the Post reports that the Standing Rock Sioux Tribe agrees with the government at least on this, and passed a tribal resolution asking protesters to leave and requesting federal aid in closing the camp.