Remember this: Sometimes you have to have an argument for why
something is a damn bad idea. All you have to do is look at the track record.
It is right there-collectively, and cohesively.
So, while everyone is looking at one thing. I decided to look
back at the wheat field and well, deviant that I am, things that you have to
put out in public records.
Works for me at the moment
There was an article entitled; North Dakota recorded 300 oil spills in two years without notifying the
public, by the Associated Press Bismarck. The article was dated Friday, 25
October 2013. That was three years ago.
It would seem that companies in North Dakota are required to
report spills to the agency with jurisdiction, which puts them into public
record, but are not really required to tell the public that it’s out there.
Question No. 1: If DAPL puts a pipeline through a portion of
Standing Rock, and it leaks, are they going to make a report, file it with the
public record, and hope no one asks, or finds out about it?
Not sure, thought I would ask.
If this article was in October 2013, and it stated the state
Health Department and regulators were reviewing state’s policies for when to
publicly report such incidences after a massive spill. I wonder if they
actually revised that issue.
Question No. 2: If your state governance sees a red flag, and
doesn’t address it, should the public think someone isn’t doing their jobs?
Then we go back to the time the Universe was giving everyone a
heads up when lightning struck that wheat field in North Dakota and governance
hid it for eleven days.
Question No.3: Damn, the Universe must not have liked that
pipeline either. Do you think the Universe was pointing out the evidence?
Not sure, thought I would ask.
When you read track records like this, and let me tell you,
North Dakota has a racetrack that extends well pass the event horizon.
Question No. 4: If the track record of oil companies and their
spills is stacking up persistently in one state, (cough North Dakota), is it
accurate to observe that when tribal, and non-tribal constituents do not trust
their state government, is it warranted?
If the state government is aware of
this distrust, yet tries to silence tribal, and non-tribal constituents from
observing their Constitutional Rights, and whatever Tribal Rights and treaties
they have, can a state governance publicly try to undermine those groups in
the hopes of clearing a path for something that has already been exhibited as a
potential threat to quality of life, even to the point of disguise on the part
of slipping it in a report, and silently placing it in the folder of Public
Record, and hoping no one asks for it?
Not sure, thought I would ask.
When you read the Associate Press Bismarck article, it
reiterates new pipelines spring up, which increases possible instances of
pipeline breaching, this breaching causes the risk to environmental habitat to
go up, which involves the closely connected human habitation.
Question No. 5: How many pipelines does it take?
Not sure, thought I would ask.
I was thinking this. If you can gather documentation from public
records, of a bad track record, of companies with oil spills (list them all
with dates, locations, and companies), lack of oversight (ask for the exact
maintenance schedule to be performed to ensure quality assurance of the
pipelines, and how covered ground pipeline is to be monitored), and being
negligible at reporting to the public when a spill occurs, just to name a
few-you would have a hefty argument for why North Dakota governance may not be
strategically monitoring its oil companies shenanigans, and forgoing monitoring
to keep up with the Jones at the cost of whomever lays in the wake of the
pipelines.
Question No. 6: Who is to say that this same thing can’t happen
at the Standing Rock area?
Not sure, thought I would ask.
There again, the big question would be:
Question No. 7: Why was DAPL so desperate to get that pipeline
through?
Question No. 8: How did that desperation translate into the
decisions to try and threaten, coerce, physically assault, and fully out them
and their employees as a company now known for its blatantly disregard for
human life, even verbalizing it with the moniker, “scum of the Earth”.
Not sure, thought I would ask.
I read the in 2014, one million gallons of
wastewater from hydraulic fracturing leaked from a pipeline near Fort Berthold,
home of the Mandan, Hidatsa, and Arikara. They live right on top of pipelines.
Question No.9: When you set your life up on top of a
spider web of potential problems, would one think it is a little to late for
going back? Is it better to just not have the pipeline near your water?
Not sure, thought I would ask.
Not sure, thought I would ask.
When you are dealing with poor track records, one does wonder why the standard hasn't been set higher with more emphasis on transporting the products safely, without spills, or injuries to and through the destinations the pipelines occupy.
Where is the integrity management programs? Where is the in-line inspection tools to determine the condition of the pipelines? Where the hell are the Smart Pigs, and why aren't they being used? Is there adequate funding for research projects on pipeline challenges? How are pipeline regulatory agencies ensuring incidences do not occur, and if they do, less frequent.
Why does it appear the pipeline companies are not working together or observing an industry wide recommended practice?
When you see the rate of error and malfunctioning in how Energy Infrastructure is handles, compounded with the numerous cases of malfunction of equipment,and maintenance, when is someone going to ask the question:
When is quality assurance and safety precaution going to be re-evaluated to address the high incidences of natural and liquid gas breaching pipelines, and any hole it makes birth from?
Where is the integrity management programs? Where is the in-line inspection tools to determine the condition of the pipelines? Where the hell are the Smart Pigs, and why aren't they being used? Is there adequate funding for research projects on pipeline challenges? How are pipeline regulatory agencies ensuring incidences do not occur, and if they do, less frequent.
Why does it appear the pipeline companies are not working together or observing an industry wide recommended practice?
When you see the rate of error and malfunctioning in how Energy Infrastructure is handles, compounded with the numerous cases of malfunction of equipment,and maintenance, when is someone going to ask the question:
When is quality assurance and safety precaution going to be re-evaluated to address the high incidences of natural and liquid gas breaching pipelines, and any hole it makes birth from?
Written by: Angelia Y Larrimore
