By LOGAN PILLARD
On Tuesday, a federal judge struck down the latest attempt to halt construction Dakota Access Pipeline, furthering protests across the nation. While the protest at the Standing Rock Reservation over the rerouting of the pipeline received the most attention from protesters, advocates in Iowa against the DAPL don’t have to look far to find threats to our local environment. The pipeline cuts through 18 Iowa counties, including Polk County.
Though officials assure people about the safety of the Dakota Access Pipeline, history proves that Iowans have cause for concern. Another oil pipeline running through Iowa, the Magellan Midstream Partners pipelines, have leaked a total of 27 times over the past 16 years. In January, a spill in northern Iowa leaked more than 138,600 gallons of diesel throughout fields. While cleanup efforts are still underway, the spill offers an ominous look at possible threats to Iowa’s environment and agricultural market. The Dakota Access Pipeline is projected to begin transporting nearly a half million barrels of oil daily through the heart of Iowa.
Given EPA Administrator Scott Pruitt’s stance on the future of the agency, it’s safe to say that Iowans need to worry. Pruitt, a longtime critic of the EPA, has made his plans to set strong limits on his agency’s funding widely known. Since Pruitt’s confirmation, the EPA has been ordered a media gag on all offices and has removed the word “science” from its mission statement.
So what does this have to do with Iowa? Say, much like its Magellan predecessor, the DAPL leaks into fields and waterways in one of the 18 counties. The EPA would more than likely not be able to fund cleanup efforts given Pruitt’s proposed cuts in funding, leaving it to the state to fund the efforts to save Iowa’s agricultural fields and Iowa’s top export.
But couldn’t lawsuits be filed to hold DAPL responsible? I wouldn’t hold my breath. President Trump finds himself in a unique opportunity to reshape the Department of Justice. This year, the president may have the chance to fill more than 43 federal judge seats. Right now, 1 in 8 federal judge seats are open, all thanks to Republicans who refused to hold any hearings for judges in Obama’s last year in office. This would allow Trump to shape the court system for decades to come, imposing his anti-environment regulations.
In the first month of his presidency, Trump promised to cut at least 75 percent of environmental regulations. He is a long-time skeptic of climate change, calling global warming a conspiracy created by China in one of his many late-night tweets.
If states are forced to provide the funds for environmental protection precautions and incident management, it will come straight out of the taxpayers’ pockets. And what happens if our greatest export is crippled by a mass oil spill? Not only would Iowans see an increase in food prices and ethanol, the state would also lose one of its driving economic strongholds. Can Iowa afford that?