Introducing the Pipeline The Dakota Access Pipeline is a 3.7 million dollar pipeline that is planned to extend 1,200 miles from the Bakken oil fields of west North Dakota to Illinois. Not only will the pipeline link to other pipelines, but it will allow North Dakota to export half of its daily crude oil output to all parts of the United States. It can carry an estimated 470,000 to 570,000 barrels of oil per day (Dakota Access Pipeline: Top 3 Pros and Cons). The pipeline is designed to exceed stringent federal standards, and will be built and operated using the most advanced technology and monitoring systems. But, the pipeline is only 70 percent complete (Blakeman, 2016). The pipeline has been in an exhaustive review process since 2014 for …show more content…
There will also be a substantial increase of employment to the regional area. Some jobs include: welders, mechanics, electricians, pipefitters, truckers, and other complimentary trades in the manufacturing of the materials needed to build it. In addition, service industries such as hotels and restaurants will benefit through additional income (Dakota Pipeline: What’s behind the controversy? 2017). The pipeline also produces an economic benefit. It is expected to bring 129 million dollars annually to property and income taxes. Once it is completely operational, it is estimated that the state, and local, government will see 50 million dollars annually in property taxes, and 74 million dollars annually in sales taxes for North Dakota, South Dakota, Iowa, and Illinois (5 things to know about the Dakota Access Pipeline). With increased revenue to these four states, they can improve schools, roads, and emergency services (Dakota Access Pipeline: Top 3 Pros and Cons). The United States becoming more energy independent is another effect the pipeline has. The U.S. would not have to rely on imports from countries like Russia, which would decrease the amount of money leaving the economy (Dakota Access Pipeline: Top 3 Pros and …show more content…
Activists from all across the country are starting riots and protests to voice their opinions about why the pipeline should not be built. They argue that the pipeline will worsen the climate change. Thousands of gallons of crude oil will be on the market daily, resulting in, once extracted, processed, and burned, 101.4 million metric tons of carbon dioxide in the air each year (Blakeman, 2016). Shailene Woodley, activist against the Dakota Access Pipeline, gave a speech about why she believed the pipeline would harm the environment