‘No more broken treaties’: indigenous leaders urge Biden to shut down Dakota Access pipeline

‘No more broken treaties’: indigenous leaders urge Biden to shut down Dakota Access pipeline

Indigenous leaders and environmentalists are urging President Joe Biden to shutdown some of America's most controversial fossil fuel pipelines, after welcoming his executive order cancelling the Keystone XL (KXL) project.Activists praised Biden's decision to stop construction of the transnational KXL oil pipeline on his first day in the White House, but they stressed that he must cancel similar polluting fossil fuel projects, including the Dakota Access Pipeline (DAPL), to stand any chance of meeting his bold climate action goals.The KXL order was issued on Wednesday as part of the first wave of Biden's promised environmental justice and climate action policies, which include rejoining the Paris agreement and halting construction of the southern border wall.Rescinding the Canadian-owned KXL pipeline permit, issued by Donald Trump, fulfills a campaign promise Biden made in May 2020 and comes after more than a decade of organizing and resistance by indigenous activists, landowners and environmental groups.“The victory ending the KXL pipeline is an act of courage and restorative justice by the Biden administration. It gives tribes and Mother Earth a serious message of hope for future generations as we face the threat of climate change. It aligns Indigenous environmental knowledge with presidential priorities that benefit everyone,”