A quick note to my friends at Dakota Rural Action and everyone else interested in land rights and the environment: According to the South Dakota Chamber of Commerce Legislative Social Calendar, Energy Transfer–Dakota Access Pipeline will be hosting an information session this afternoon (Tuesday, January 19) in Room 423 of the State Capitol on how good their pipeline project across East River will be for South Dakota.
The informational session starts at 3 p.m. and runs 90 minutes. The Chamber schedule says the event is for legislators, staff, cabinet members, and constitutional officers. Surely, since the Dakota Access Pipeline affects the well-being of all South Dakotans who pay those public officials’ salaries, our friends in Big Oil will be happy to open the doors and share their good petro-news with other interested parties this afternoon.
Related: West Texas Intermediate crude oil is currently trading at $28.79 a barrel, less than a third of the price of a steel barrel in which one could place oil.
Update 10:20 CST: After getting your fill of pipeline propaganda, head over to the American Legion for a full-course meal of corporate fascism from the American Legislative Exchange Council From 6:30 to 9:30 toniht, they are hosting a Wine & Cheese Welcome with Swiss Steak Dinner for legislators, spouses, cabinet officers, constitutional officers, staff, lobbyists, interns.
I suggest legislators Google “Kalamazoo River oil spill” afterward to see how the industry actually performed on clean-up of a leaky state-of-the-art pipeline.
Dakota Rural Action will be holding lobby days this Thursday, Jan 21st starting around 8:00 am. Everyone is welcome. Eminent domain laws are on the agenda. Maybe some talk on CAFO’s. Sabrina King, DRA lobbyist and organizer, will there to guide us.
Good to know, Paul! Will Sabrina be offering a point-by-point analysis of Dakota Access’s presentation? :-)
Cory, I hope that Sabrina does. I think that maybe some DAPL landowners may have also attended the presentation.
I find it strange that a private corporation (Energy Transfer Partners) is able to use a room in the Capitol, during the legislature, to make a presentation. Would DRA be afforded this same courtesy if we wanted to make a presentation in response to DAPL? Usually these type meetings are held in meeting rooms close to the Capitol but not in the Capitol. Any conflict of interest, or show of favoritism, here?
Good question, Paul! Does LRC have rules posted on private use of rooms in the Capitol during Session? Does DRA get to use a committee room during its lobby day Thursday?
Cory, I’ll talk to Sabrina about this. When DRA gets together at the Capitol we meet in the downstairs cafeteria or in the halls. We have never had the exclusive use of a meeting room.
Every thing is for sale in this lil red state