DAPL & Other Pipeline Issue

I challenge everyone that is a social media whiz to take this and tweet, Facebook, type, snail mail, bebo, MySpace, snappy chat, Instagram , pick up that land line and get the info out to CNN,FOX, CBS, ABC, MSNBC , let's go let's start the blitz let's viral this techno world , Indigenous wide we are 100,000 's strong , plus all other races who believe in the ...right to forever have water and clean water, and let's let our voices ring to the nations far and wide, so my fellow humans let's get busy and tweet the shit out of them hollywoods, congress start calling them, and let's go viral with no main stream media is covering this, my friends some of you live in the city the head quarter are located go there.... Our people are peaceful and in prayer , they are NOT the hostile this big greedy corporation says they are they come in peace to exercise their 1st amendment right!!!! Get to sharing !!!!!!!

BACKGROUND ON THE DAKOTA ACCESS PIPELINE

The Standing Rock Sioux Indian Reservation is home to Dakota and Lakota people of the Standing Rock Sioux Tribe. Since time immemorial, they have lived and governed a vast territory throughout North and South Dakota, and parts of Montana, Wyoming, Minnesota, Iowa and Nebraska. Currently, the Tribe is located in central North and South Dakota.

Despite strong objections from the Tribe from the first time they heard of the project, on July 25, 2016, the U.S Army Corps of Engineers granted authorization to the Dakota Access Pipeline to cross Lake Oahe as part of the construction of a 1,100 mile pipeline that is proposed to carry over a half-million barrels of Bakken crude oil to Illinois and across four states. The current route of construction takes the pipeline less than one half mile from the Tribe’s reservation border, and thus the Tribe maintains a sovereign interest in protecting its cultural resources and patrimony that remain with the land. In addition, all along the route of the pipeline are sites of religious and cultural significance to our people – including burial sites of our ancestors. The pipeline would cross the Tribe’s traditional and ancestral lands and the construction of the pipeline jeopardizes many sacred places. But, while federal law requires meaningful consultation with the Tribe on these matters, that has not happened here. The Tribe opposes DAPL because we must honor our ancestors and protect our sacred sites and our precious waters.

Initially, Dakota Access considered two possible routes of construction: a northern route near Bismarck, and the southern route taking the pipeline to the border of the Standing Rock reservation. Federal law requires the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers to review—and ultimately deny or grant—Dakota Access’ application for the necessary permits to construct the pipeline because the southern route takes the pipeline across the Missouri River and Lake Oahe, implicating lands and water under federal jurisdiction.

In the initial environmental assessment, the maps utilized by Dakota Access—and reviewed and incorporated by the Army Corps—did not indicate that the Tribe’s lands were within one half mile of the proposed crossing of Lake Oahe. Furthermore, the company selected this route because the route to the north would be near and could jeopardize the drinking water of the residents in the city of Bismarck. The company’s initial draft environmental assessment of December 9, 2015 made no mention of the fact that the route they chose brings the pipeline near, and could jeopardize, the drinking water of the Tribe and its citizens. It actually omitted the very existence of the tribe on all maps and any analysis, in direct violation of the US environmental justice policies.

The Standing Rock Sioux Tribe has been actively opposing the permitting and construction of the Dakota Access Pipeline since the Tribe first learned of the proposal in 2014 and the pipeline’s proposed construction. The Tribe has voiced its strong opposition to the company, to the federal government, to Congress, and to the State. Yet, the Tribe’s plea was ignored and instead the US sided with the project developer. From the beginning, the Tribe’s Tribal Historic Preservation Office requested tribal consultation, but their requests were never fulfilled.

The Tribe continued its efforts to engage as many decision-makers as possible and actively oppose the Dakota Access Pipeline. The Tribe submitted several sets of detailed comments to the Corps, met with high level officials in Washington, DC, and communicated on numerous occasions with the North Dakota Congressional delegation over the past few months. The Tribe specifically met with numerous federal agencies to discuss the harm imposed by the pipeline, including: the Environmental Protection Agency, the Department of the Interior, and the Advisory Council on Historic Preservation. All three agencies subsequently wrote letters to the Army Corps expressing environmental and cultural resource concerns related to the pipeline.

The Tribe has filed litigation in federal court in the District of Columbia to challenge the actions of the Corps of Engineers regarding the Dakota Access pipeline. Basically, this is a suit to enforce their federally protected rights and interests. The Corps has failed to follow the law – both regarding the risk of oil spills and the protection of their sacred places. The Tribe is seeking a preliminary injunction to undo the Corps’ approval of the pipeline, and there will be a hearing before the Judge on August 24. The Cheyenne River Sioux Tribe has asked to join the lawsuit, and other tribes may also be joining.

Separately, tribal citizens have begun a camp called the Sacred Stone Camp. The Tribe continues to stress the importance of handling this matter in the right way, which means that non-violence must be the guiding principle at all times. And, the Tribe will do all it can so that the safety of everyone involved is safeguarded and protected.

In addition, Standing Rock youth ages 6 – 25 from the reservation vowed to run to Washington,
DC to deliver a petition with 160,000 signatures on change.org opposing the pipeline to the
President of the United States. After running for 2,200 miles, they were only able to meet with
Army Corps officials, and held several rallies along the way. They returned to the reservation on
August 10, 2016.

Several Tribes have passed resolutions in support of Standing Rock, including the Cheyenne
River Sioux Tribe, Crow Creek Tribe, the Oglala Sioux Tribe, the Rosebud Sioux Tribe, and others.
To find out how to take action and get involved, please visit www.rezpectourwater.com.

 

AMERICAN INDIANS & THE 2ND AMENDMENT
In light of the KXL Pipeline being passed by greedy South Dakota politicians! Thinking that they can just wait, until Obama leaves office. And the Native Americans are just going to blow smoke and really not do anything!
We need to start planning NOW! We have vowed to stop the Black Snake and will! If they try to cross Indian Country! All options are on the table!
It’s time we start our own! Militia, for the security of Indian Country (Reservations), we can use the 2nd Amendment our Treaty rights and “The militia act of 1792 which gives the right of the people to keep and bear Arms, shall not be infringed”.
In 1780 the words 'well regulated' were used to mean 'properly functioning' - as in a well-regulated clock.
The militia act of 1792 (it’s still in effect) states that the militia is every able bodied man between 17 and 45.
The rest of the 2nd amendment needs to be understood in THAT context. The authors were VERY distrustful of government. ANY government. They considered it to be a necessary evil. They went to great lengths to try and limit its power. The very meaning of the 2nd amendment was designed as a last resort balance against a tyrannical government and last resort against invasion. The 2nd amendment has NOTHING to do with guns for hunting or personal defense. It’s a GIVEN that a man has a RIGHT to arms in order to feed and defend himself.
Those of you that want to disarm us don't like what the 2nd amendment really means so you try and say it means something it doesn't, or you say it was never intended to apply to modern arms. If the 2nd amendment doesn't apply to modern arms then the 1st amendment doesn't apply to modern communications, and we all know where that argument would go. You CANT have it both ways.
In a free society, a few will abuse that freedom. The answer for some is to take everyone's freedom away to prevent that abuse. I am much more afraid of what the government would do if we are all disarmed then what one crazed lunatic might do. The 2nd amendment is intended to protect us from our government, not our neighbor.
What part of "shall not be infringed" don't these idiots understand?
I found this article and everyone should read it and educate yourself! On the truth behind the Amendment! Time to make our own stand! HECETUWELO!!
United Urban Warrior Society
(I found this artical and eveyone should read it!)
AMERICAN INDIANS & THE 2ND AMENDMENT
By Jamie K. Oxendine, Lumbee/Creek
AMENDMENT II
The 2nd Amendment reads as follows with punctuation:
A well-regulated Militia, being necessary to the security of a free State, the right of the people to keep and bear Arms, shall not be infringed.
This one somewhat simple concept has been argued about since it was first proposed by James Madison in 1789. Everything from the reason why it was written to the placement of punctuation and wording (especially the placement and use of the word of) has created heated arguments, debates, law suites, fights and more for what appears to be forever. The amendment passed by Congress has different punctuation than the amendment passed and ratified by the individual states. In fact what eventually became the 2ndAmendment was argued, debated and changed in the House, the Senate and the States multiple times from June 1789 until 1791 when it finally became law.
From the moment it was proposed the Native American Culture was an integral part of the early arguments and debates on this 2nd Amendment. Most of America and the world have no idea that America’s Constitutional right to keep and bear arms was in part to protect one from Native Americans and even give one the right to kill Native Americans.
BACKGROUND
When the U.S. Constitution was ratified, a number of important statesmen led by Thomas Jefferson, James Madison, George Mason and others, felt that citizens’ rights should be protected more specifically than what was done in other countries. The overall abuse of European government’s total ignorance of individual rights had been one of the main causes of the Americans revolting from the British Empire. That work became the first 10 Amendments of the U.S. translations Constitution known as the Bill of Rights and were passed in 1791 (The Constitution was written in 1787). They are still the basic fundamental source of such important individual freedoms such as speech, press, religion and more.
The U.S. Constitution was a very complex and profound document for its time. What most Americans take for granted now was very new and quite radical of any state of government in the late 18th Century.
The new document had to be ratified by the conventions of nine states (Article VII Ratification). It was approved by 12 states in convention by unanimous consent of the states present on September 17, 1787 (Rhode Island was not present). Then outside of convention each state had to individually accept and ratify the constitution. The first of the 13 states to do this was Delaware on December 7, 1787. The Constitution was declared ratified June 21, 1788, when nine of the states had ratified it individually. The last of the 13 states to ratify was Rhode Island on May 29, 1790. As one can see it took the 13 states just over 2 ½ years to finally individually accept the new U.S. Constitution. Why so long?
In 1787 the newly written and proposed U.S. Constitution was a very unusual document. It was the first written national constitution since ancient times. It was also the first to set up what became known as the “federal system” of sovereign power coming from the people. This power of the people was established by two factions: the federal government and the individual government of the states.
This type of government was very different from anything seen in Europe, Asia and many other countries across the world. It was not however new or different to the Nations of Native America. In fact it is well known and documented that many of our “Founding Fathers”admired and copied ideas and concepts of the governments of the Native American Nations of the New World (specifically those of the Eastern Woodlands). The Native American governments were truly for and by the people.
The new government was a very different system over the one under which the nation had been governed since the end of the American Revolution in 1781 and the passage of the Treaty of Paris in 1783. The old government under the Articles of Confederation had put nearly all of the power in the hands of the states and gave very little power to the central government. Under the Articles of Confederation the states could cooperate with the central government or totally ignore it if they so choose and many states did just that.
The brand new Constitution was quite extreme and created many arguments, debates and downright fights between congressmen, senators and of course states. Obviously there was considerable opposition to the new form of government under this Constitution and the issues of the individual states rights vs. that of the federal government, but eventually the strongest supporters of the new system won out. This was the Federalist Party and finally by 1790 all 13 states had ratified the Constitution. With that hurdle however came another problem of passing a Bill of Rights.
The Bill of Rights as mentioned before came about because the loss of personal and civil rights and liberties had been the original reason for rebellion against the British Empire. Specific guarantees of these rights were given by a group of statesmen led by Jefferson, Madison, Mason and others who felt that these rights were sufficiently important to be stated separately and they became the first 10 amendments of the Constitution. One such right was the 2nd Amendment to “bear arms” for the following reasons as set forth in 1791:
1. Protection from the “Blood Thirsty Heathen Red Savages”
2. Protection from another country or government including Native American Nations
3. Protection from Wild Animals, including Native Americans
4. Hunting to put meat on the Table
REASONS SET FORTH
1. Protection from the “Blood Thirsty Heathen Red Savages”
The Northwest Ordinance of 1787 set a pattern for settlement and statehood for territories in the West. The West at this time was the Great Lakes as well as the rich Ohio and Mississippi River Valleys. This was passed even though the Proclamation of 1763 and Treaties with many Native American Nations prohibited settlement west of the Appalachian Mountains. That proclamation was under the British Crown though and since the United Sates just won a war with said Crown, they felt no need to honor any treaties between the British Crown and any Native American Nations. The fact that America was a new Nation and claimed territories west of the Appalachians said to all “We own all and we shall take it.”
With this concept of “take and take” American settlers poured across the Appalachian Mountains and onto Native American Nations territory as well as territory claimed under British rule, French rule and even Spanish rule. This created many issues with Great Britain, France and Spain. It also created a massive amount of problems with the Native American Nations. Not to mention the fact that there was already high tension with Native American Nations in what was the borders of the United States.
Americans felt that they could not trust the Native Americans. This was for many reasons including the support of many Native American Nations as Allies to Great Britain during the Revolution. The fact that the Native Peoples had been split by Europeans since before the French & Indian War and that many Native American Nations helped the American Colonists in the French & Indian War and the American Revolution was completely and utterly forgotten. Now the great United States saw the Native American Nations as nothing more than a hindrance and a nuisance. America also feared the Native Americans. The Native Peoples of this land were often referred to as “Blood Thirsty Savages, Heathen Red Savages, Merciless Savages and Barbarians” as well as other derogatory terms by just about everyone from the average farmer to the well-off merchant and the “Founding Fathers.”
In fact the most illustrious and sacred document of freedom and liberty the Declaration of Independence refers to Native Americans as “…the merciless Indian savages, whose known rule of warfare is an undistinguished destruction of all ages, sexes and conditions” Article XXVII.
Colonial Law from as early as the late 17th Century gave permission to “. . .kill savage Indians on sight and at will.” Sadly, the United States did not argue this part of Colonial Rule and added this law to fit their own needs. Each state was allowed to pass laws allowing the legalized murder of Native Americans. Although some say that the famous phrase “The only good Indian is a dead Indian” is attributed to General Sheridan of Civil War fame, its original creation goes back to American Colonial times. What is truly amazing is that such laws to kill Native Americans continued to be made and passed by new territories and new states well into the 19th Century. It is also very sad that some of these state laws have just recently been amended in the late 20th Century and some have yet to be amended at all.
2. Protection From Another Country or Government including Native American Nations
Seeing how new the U.S. was, it needed protection from a possible invasion from another country, government, Native American Nation or colonists still loyal to England. This was especially true since America had just fought a long and very hard War of Independence with the British Empire and its Native American Allies. Contrary to popular belief, The American Revolution was not just a war between Great Britain and its American Colonies. It was really a world war with participation and interests from European Countries and of course many Native American Nations. After the Revolutionary War, America was quite venerable and economically weak as war is very expensive. America was also very venerable patriotically due the fact that an amazing 25% of colonists remained loyal to the British Crown during and after the Revolution. The fear of a Loyalist uprising getting support from either a European power or Native American power was a grave fear to America.
Although America had created a fighting Army, Navy, and Marines during the war, its forces after the war were a very different story as now there was no major standing Army, Navy or Marines. For a side note: The Coast Guard was technically created via the Revenue-Marine on August 4, 1790.
Many of the armed forces in the war were composed of everyday civilians…and do not forget that American Forces also relied on Native American Allies. This was particularly true of the Army which was greatly composed of the Civilian Militia also called the Colonial Militia during the French & Indian War just barely three decades before. Most know the militia as the famous “Minute Men.” The Civilian Militia would be a permanent tradition and part of the armed forces for a long time to come including well up to the late 19th Century. It is almost as though the “Founding Fathers” could predict the future and hence the term “militia” is used in the wording of the 2nd Amendment. The Navy and Marines also relied on “civilian militia” creation as the main requirement was that one had “knowledge of the sea.” To make it official that militia was important Congress passed The National Militia Act on May 8, 1792 establishing an Uniform Militia.
The following establishment history of American armed forces clearly shows the need for the“civilian militia” to be armed and ready to protect the country in time of need:
The Continental Army: June 14, 1775 became The United States Army June 3, 1784
The Continental Marines: November 10, 1775 became the United States Marine Corps on July 11, 1798
The Navy of the United Colonies: October 13, 1775 became the United States Navy on April 30, 1798
The Revenue Marine: August 4, 1790 became the United States Coast Guard on January 28, 1915
With all this, it was not hard to see that an armed America was greatly needed…but was it needed to kill the Native American Nations?
One of the many freedoms that the American Colonists enjoyed even under British rule was the ownership of firearms. This right was not opposed by the Monarchy of Britain until after the French & Indian War when King George did not like the abhorring of weapons by the Colonists. This along with His Majesties Forces patrolling the streets of American towns as well as the Quartering of Soldiers was not well appreciated by the American Colonists. To avoid the Quartering of Soldiers that the British Empire practiced in America, the U.S. Constitution banned this by passing the 3rd Amendment (one amendment and part of the Bill of Rights that many Americans do not even know exists and why it exists).
A freedom to possess and own firearms was a great freedom indeed. It was a freedom that the American Colonists did not take for granted because they knew that only those of aristocracy and great wealth were allowed to own firearms in Europe. This was also the case in countries of Asia that had firearms.
The First national census of 1790 gives the population of the United Sates at 4 million. Of course that 4 million did not include any Native American Nations under treaties with the United States or any International Treaties with any other European States. That number also did not include other Native American Nations, African Slaves, American Born Slaves, Asians and any other persons of color.
A brief note: the undeclared war with France of 1798-1800 was one of many other reasons that the right to bear arms and have a “state militia” for the protection of the new county was passed.
3. Protection from Wild Animals including Native Americans
This is the only discussion of the 2nd Amendment that does not have any references to any laws. The only notes found on this subject were direct and to the point and mainly for the concern of farmers, trappers, and others living on the American Frontier. The sad part is that these people put Native Americans into the same category as wild animals.
Considering the United States was a country of 13 states stretching from New Hampshire to Georgia and with only a population of 4 million it is easy to say that the United States was literally all Frontier. One must remember that at this time there were very few metropolises and the country side began immediately at the city limits. One could say that as little as just a few miles outside the largest cities of Philadelphia, New York, Boston, Baltimore, and even Charleston one was in the countryside and close to being on the Frontier or actually on the Frontier.
Wild America was truly very much wild in the late 18th Century. Many animals that are rare and even extinct today or gravely endangered were in great numbers including medium to large carnivores of the forest. The constant encroachment of settlers was dangerous activity to both man and beast. The firearm was the main weapon for protection.
4. Hunting to put meat on the Table
For all the reasons to have and pass an amendment for the right to bear arms, this is the one that would appear to make the most common sense in relation to the time the amendment was passed. It is also the only reason that does not mention Native Americans.
One might even think that this reason could not be argued as it was clearly seen obtaining meat for many was only with the use of firearms. That may have been true for some time but as early as the 19th Century, environmentalists, animal rights activists and others argued why this need for the hunting of animals for food, sport and fashion. The almost annihilation of the American Beaver, American Bison and other animals proved that these arguments made a very good point.
These urgings have continued well into the 21st Century as today it may seem that all of America can get meat already processed from the local supermarket, meat market, restaurant, etc. That is far from true but it may truly surprise some Americans (mostly in the urban setting) that many people still put meat on the table via the long practice of hunting with a firearm. This is done for many reasons including costs and the want to not use farm raised animals and massed produced raised animals for food.
CONCLUSION “So anybody could keep and bear arms right?” The answer is a most unequivocal NO! It is well known that no African Slaves or American Born Slaves or Freed Men of Color could own, possess or carry any firearms. But what most do not know is it was illegal for Native Americans to possess firearms and it was even illegal to trade firearms with Native Americans. Of course enforcement of this policy was more “pick and choose” as well as “hit and miss” or just plain “overlooked” and thus it is why Native Americans have had firearms either legally or illegally ever since. How is that possible? Well although it was illegal to trade firearms to Native Americans, it was not uncommon for both the federal government and state governments to give firearms to the Native American Nations so they could make war amongst themselves.
United Urban Warrior Society Leader counting Coup! today (1/5/2016) Against those approving the KXL Pipeline! https://www.facebook.com/joye.braun...

The Enbridge Northern Gateway Pipelines Project

is a proposal to construct twin pipeline running from Bruderheim, Alberta, to Kitimat, British Columbia. The eastbound pipeline would import natural gas condensate and the westbound pipeline would export crude oil to the new marine terminal in Kitimat where it will be transported to Asian markets by oil tankers. The project is developed by Enbridge Inc., a Canadian crude oil and liquids pipeline company.

The pipeline and terminal, if completed, would provide 104 permanent jobs in Alberta and British Columbia and 3,000 temporary jobs during construction. First Nations and oil sands opponents among others, denounce the project on environmental, social and cultural grounds. The proposal includes many benefits for aboriginals, including equit...y ownership, training, employment, Community Trust and stewardship programs. The Douglas Channel that leads into Kitimat and surrounding northwest coast waters pose safety and weather hazards for oil tankers.

All the First Nations here in Canada & the United States stand firmly against this proposed pipeline as well as many Non Native peoples, the benefits & or employment far out weigh the risks that this proposed pipeline have to offer . If this is allowed we will not only endanger our own children & grandchildren but all future generations, as well as all the wildlife & marine life.....it will forever change our world..once its done, there will no going back.

The Keystone Pipeline System

is a pipline system to transport synthetic crude oil from the oil sandsof Alberta, Canada, and crude oil from the northern United States, "primarily to refineries in the Gulf Coast" of Texas.The products to be shipped include synthetic crude oil (syncrude) and diluted bitumen  from the Western Canadian Sedimentary basin in Alberta, Canada, and Bakken synthetic crude oil and light crude oil produced from the Williston Basin (Bakken) region in Montana and North Dakota.Three phases of the project are in operation and the fourth is awaiting U.S. government approval. Upon completion, the Keystone Pipeline System would consist of the completed 2,151-mile (3,462 km) Keystone Pipeline (Phases I and II), Keystone Gulf Coast Expansion (Phases III) and the proposed Keystone XL Pipeline Project (Phases III). The controversial fourth phase, the Keystone XL Pipeline Project, would begin at the oil distribution hub in Hardisty, Alberta, and extend 1,179 miles (1,897 km), to Steele City, Nebraska.

The operational Keystone Pipeline system currently has the capacity to deliver up to 590,000 barrels per day of Canadian crude oil into the Mid-West refining markets.In the summer of 2010 Phase 1 of the Keystone Pipeline was completed, delivering crude oil from Hardisty, Alberta, to Steele City, Nebraska, and then east through Missouri to Wood River refineries and Patoka, Illinois. Phase 2 the Keystone-Cushing extension was completed in February 2011 with the pipeline from Steele City, Nebraska, to storage and distribution facilities at Cushing, Oklahoma, a major crude oil marketing/refining and pipeline hub.

The Keystone XL proposal, which would comprise phases 3 and 4, faced criticism from environmentalists and some members of the United States Congress. In January 2012, President Barack Obama rejected the application amid protests about the pipeline's impact on Nebraska's environmentally sensitive Sand Hills region. TransCanada Corporationchanged the original proposed route of Keystone XL to minimize "disturbance of land, water resources and special areas" and the new route was approved by Nebraska Governor Dave Heineman in January 2013. On March 22, 2012, Obama endorsed the building of its southern segment that begins in Cushing, Oklahoma. The President said in Cushing, Oklahoma, on March 22, "Today, I'm directing my administration to cut through the red tape, break through the bureaucratic hurdles, and make this project a priority, to go ahead and get it done."

In its Supplemental Environmental Impact Statement (SEIS) released for public scrutiny in March 2013, the United States Department of State Bureau of Oceans and International Environmental and Scientific Affairs, described a number of changes to the original proposals including the shortening of the pipeline to 875 miles its avoidance of "crossing the NDEQ-identified Sand Hills Region" and "reduction of the length of pipeline crossing the Northern High Plains Aquifer system, which includes the Ogallala formation"; and stated "there would be no significant impacts to most resources along the proposed Project route." In response to the Department of State's report, which recommended neither acceptance nor rejection, the editor of New York Times recommended that President Obama, who acknowledges climate change as one of humanity's "most challenging issues", should reject the project, which "even by the State Department's most cautious calculations — can only add to the problem."

In April 2013, the EPA challenged the U.S. State Department report's conclusion that the pipeline would not result in greater oil sand production, noting that "while informative, [it] is not based on an updated energy-economic modeling effort." Overall, the EPA rated the SEIS with their category "EO-2" (EO for "environmental objections" and 2 for "insufficient information").

 

 

The Keystone Pipeline system consists of the operational Phase 1, Phase II and Phases III, the Gulf Coast Pipeline Project, and a proposed pipeline expansion segment Phase IV, Keystone XL. Construction of Phase III, from Cushing, Oklahoma, to Nederland, Texas, in the Gulf Coast area, began in August 2012 as an independent economic utility. The Phase III was opened on 22 January 2014. The Keystone XL Pipeline Project (Phase IV) revised proposal in 2012 consists of a new 36-inch pipeline from Hardisty, Alberta, through Montana and South Dakota to Steele City, Nebraska, to "transport of up to 830,000 barrels per day of crude oil from the Western Canadian Sedimentary Basin in Alberta, Canada, and from the Williston Basin (Bakken) region in Montana and North Dakota, primarily to refineries in the Gulf Coast area."After the Keystone XL pipeline segments are completed, American crude oil would enter the XL pipelines at Baker Montana on their way to the storage and distribution facilities at Cushing Oklahoma, Cushing is a major crude oil marketing/refining and pipeline hub.

Operating since 2010, the original Keystone Pipeline System is an 3,461-kilometre (2,151 mi) pipeline delivering Canadian crude oil to U.S. Midwest markets and Cushing, Oklahoma. In Canada, the first phase of Keystone involved the conversion of approximately 864 kilometres (537 mi) of existing 36-inch  natural gas pipeline in Saskatchewan and Manitoba to crude oil pipeline service. It also included approximately (232 mi) of new 30-inch diameter pipeline, 16 pump stations and the Keystone Hardisty Terminal.

The U.S. portion of the Keystone Pipeline included 1,744 kilometres (1,084 mi) of new, 30-inch diameter pipeline in North Dakota, South Dakota, Nebraska, Kansas, Missouri and Illinois. The pipeline has a minimum ground cover of 4 feet. It also involved construction of 23 pump stations and delivery facilities at Wood River and Patoka, Illinois. In 2011, the second phase of Keystone included a  (298 mi) extension from Steele City, Nebraska, to Cushing, Oklahoma, and 11 new pump stations to increase the capacity of the pipeline from 435,000 to 591,000 Barrels a day.

Additional phases (three and four) have been in construction or discussion since 2011. If completed, the Keystone XL would add 510,000 barrels per day Increasing the total capacity up to 1.1 million barrels per day The original Keystone Pipeline cost US$5.2 billion with the Keystone XL expansion slated to cost approximately US$7 billion. The Keystone XL was expected to be completed by 2012–2013, however construction has been overtaken by events.