Tom Neilson: Biden must permanently shut down Dakota Access Pipeline

With just one month left before Donald Trump returns to the White House, we are running out of time to lock in protections for our climate and communities. One critical action President Joe Biden can take right now is to permanently shut down the Dakota Access Pipeline.

The pipeline is currently operating illegally, even as the ongoing legal battles surrounding it are reaching a critical point. The Standing Rock Sioux Tribe continues to fight against corporate and state interference to protect their sacred land and the safety of surrounding communities.

In 2020, concerned citizens urged President Biden to cancel the Keystone XL pipeline, and he listened. Now, we must continue to press him to take immediate action on the Dakota Access Pipeline before Trump takes office. The risk of further environmental harm and disruption to Indigenous land is too great to ignore.

Biden must prioritize the permanent shutdown of the Dakota Access Pipeline in his final days in office. The fight for a cleaner, safer future is in our hands, and we cannot afford to miss this opportunity.

Tom Neilson

Greenfield