By Joe Kafka, The Associated Press
Wednesday, Nov 26, 2008
PIERRE -- Four Native American tribes have gone to federal court at Pierre
in an effort to stop construction of the Keystone oil pipeline through
eastern South Dakota and North Dakota.
The tribes argue that treaties, as well as federal laws and regulations,
were broken during the environmental assessment of the route and subsequent
granting of a presidential permit for the pipeline.
They say a proper review has not been done in conjunction with tribes on the
potential of culturally significant sites along the pipeline corridor.
The TransCanada pipeline is designed to move crude oil from Alberta, Canada,
to refineries in Illinois and Oklahoma.
The Sisseton-Wahpeton Oyate and the Rosebud, Santee and Yankton Sioux tribes
filed the lawsuit. Tribal leaders say the pipeline project is enormous and
that officials have not done a proper environmental assessment. The leaders
also say the pipeline corridor will affect at least 87 tribes in six states.
The lawsuit was filed against the U.S. State Department. It alleges
violations of 1851 and 1867 tribal treaties, along with various federal laws
and administrative regulations.
Environmental groups opposed to the pipeline sued the State Department in
August, seeking to halt work on the pipeline. They argue that the government
did not fully investigate the risks of leaks and other damage to rural
areas.
A State Department official says the agency does not comment on litigation.