Fully Involve Native Americans in Pipeline Plans

The Keystone XL Pipeline tar sands will traverse the Colorado River and aquifer supply impacting California, Colorado, Nevada, and much of the western side of the U.S.

This is being vigorously opposed by The National Congress of American Indians (comprised of more than 200 tribes) because of its impact on the Kalamazoo River and other sacred waters.

It seems likely that exploitation of the tar sand soil by pipelines could be further damaged by terrorist attacks or acts of nature which would disrupt its integrity. The Army Corps of Engineers has conceded some flaws in the proposed design which could be impinging on burial grounds and goes through reservation lands. An alternative route is supposedly available but was not considered.

How long will we tolerate a violation of treaties with those whose lands were stolen?

The Dakota Access Pipeline (DAPL) of 1134 miles is painted as a war between Native Americans and big oil over energy transfer products reportedly required for the nation’s energy independence. This threatens to obliterate the Standing Rock Sioux tribe’s rights to artifacts on the adjacent lands.

Backed by environmentalists and many who want the nation to move away from fossil fuel dependence to renewable energy, some will never want to see these pipelines developed.

Twenty-five banks and nine partners per food and water works researchers have their hands in this till. This complicates the Trump administration's men working in associated industries.

Oil greed is not just about profits, it strikes at those who want to drive gas guzzlers and continue in an oil dependent lifestyle in everything from paints, to furniture finishes, to polymer products.

Oil spills have happened bringing much pollution to water, as already noted, in the Kalamazoo River and likely coming to a neighborhood near you.

Just ask the people in the Gulf states.

But this discussion is publicly devoid of much consideration of aquifers which filter out pollutants and help keep water healthy and clean. Spills can overrun the functional ability of these natural filters to maintain appropriate levels of fresh water.

I wince when I see the religious community seemingly indiscriminately drill wells in foreign regions without understanding their aquifer interdependence — particularly in drought plagued areas. As I said in my book, "Common Sense Conservative Prescriptions: Solutions Good for What Ails Us Book I," "Water is to our tomorrows what oil is to our today."

Don’t muck it up.

I am tired of seeing my ancestors incarcerated in reservations, from which we now want to extract the very essence of their lives. We should abide by our treaties and regulations, and involve native Americans in all discussions affecting their reservations, burial grounds, and sacred lands.

Dr. Ada M. Fisher was the first black woman to serve as the Republican National Committeewoman. She was a candidate for the U.S. Senate from North Carolina, a candidate for U.S. Congress, and a candidate for the North Carolina House of Representatives. She is the author of "Common Sense Conservative Prescriptions Solutions for What Ails Us, Book I." For more of her reports, Go Here Now