Vandals burn holes in Dakota Access Pipeline

[rangerrebew]

Vandals burn holes in Dakota Access Pipeline
 
 
 
Posted by Leslie Eastman      Saturday, March 25, 2017 at 12:00pm

The pipeline is poised to start moving oil as early as next week.
 

The last time we checked on the Dakota Access Pipeline, recovery crews were digging through mountains of garbage left by protesters and trying to find families for the dogs abandoned at the Standing Rock site by the evicted eco-activists.

President Trump put his pen to work, which moved both the Dakota and Keystone pipelines forward. the US State Department is putting the finishing touches on a permit for Keystone’s international structure.

http://legalinsurrection.com/2017/03/vandals-burn-holes-in-dakota-access-pipeline/

[Fishrrman]

In the future, as these kinds of attacks proliferate, it's probably going to become necessary to install monitoring cameras and recorders at all locations where oil and gas pipelines are exposed to the surface (for whatever reason).

If they're going to do this, the installations must be of sufficient resolution and quality to help identify such actors of terrorism.

And that's what they should be charged with -- not "vandalism", but full-out terrorism.

[Joe Wooten]

In the future, as these kinds of attacks proliferate, it's probably going to become necessary to install monitoring cameras and recorders at all locations where oil and gas pipelines are exposed to the surface (for whatever reason).

If they're going to do this, the installations must be of sufficient resolution and quality to help identify such actors of terrorism.

And that's what they should be charged with -- not "vandalism", but full-out terrorism.

How about patrolling it with drones that will automatically shoot anyone approaching the line with paintballs that will not wash off unless they have an IFF transponder.

[XenaLee]

In the future, as these kinds of attacks proliferate, it's probably going to become necessary to install monitoring cameras and recorders at all locations where oil and gas pipelines are exposed to the surface (for whatever reason).

If they're going to do this, the installations must be of sufficient resolution and quality to help identify such actors of terrorism.

And that's what they should be charged with -- not "vandalism", but full-out terrorism.

With orders to "shoot to kill" if seen trying to destroy the pipeline.  Might deter a few of them.  Might not.  No biggie either way.

[IsailedawayfromFR]

With orders to "shoot to kill" if seen trying to destroy the pipeline.  Might deter a few of them.  Might not.  No biggie either way.

What will deter them is the instance we read about an explosion that kills a few enviro-terrorists when they try to invade a live pipeline.

That deterrence is very poignant and lasting.

[Smokin Joe]

What will deter them is the instance we read about an explosion that kills a few enviro-terrorists when they try to invade a live pipeline.

That deterrence is very poignant and lasting.

Unfortunately, even as the blaze is extinguished and the remnants of the torch and tanks used to cause the explosion are found during the environmental cleanup, the blame will fall upon "evil oil" and the pipeline company in the media.

Bombing pipelines or blowing them up inadvertently trying to 'tap' them has been something seen in the Third World for a long time. That is only the combination of stupidity and sabotage. Every now and then some twit with a backhoe digs into one.

[Smokin Joe]

In the future, as these kinds of attacks proliferate, it's probably going to become necessary to install monitoring cameras and recorders at all locations where oil and gas pipelines are exposed to the surface (for whatever reason).

If they're going to do this, the installations must be of sufficient resolution and quality to help identify such actors of terrorism.

And that's what they should be charged with -- not "vandalism", but full-out terrorism.

Well, I'd go one up on that. We used to call damaging critical infrastructure in time of war "sabotage", and such aiding and comforting the enemy (increasing the value of their oil as our supplies are interrupted) could fall under the penumbra of "Treason".

[thackney]

What will deter them is the instance we read about an explosion that kills a few enviro-terrorists when they try to invade a live pipeline.

That deterrence is very poignant and lasting.

That has not deterred those in Nigeria...

[Smokin Joe]

That has not deterred those in Nigeria...

No, it hasn't. I think they use explosives, iirc.

http://www.cnn.com/2009/WORLD/africa/07/08/nigeria.delta.sabotage/index.html

By contrast, here the average farmer is far better armed than the ecoterrorists.

[thackney]

No, it hasn't. I think they use explosives, iirc.

http://www.cnn.com/2009/WORLD/africa/07/08/nigeria.delta.sabotage/index.html

By contrast, here the average farmer is far better armed than the ecoterrorists.

Even drills, although extreme poverty can be very motivating.

Hundreds killed in Nigerian pipeline explosion
https://www.theguardian.com/world/2006/may/12/oil.business

[Smokin Joe]

Even drills, although extreme poverty can be very motivating.

Hundreds killed in Nigerian pipeline explosion
https://www.theguardian.com/world/2006/may/12/oil.business

True, but that poverty is generally mixed with large doses of ignorance.

[IsailedawayfromFR]

That has not deterred those in Nigeria...

Different conditions.

The US terrorists are mostly idealists who deem it their rights by God to undertake sabotage.

Nigerians do it for money, either for directly profiting by kidnapping or by stifling the flow to the govt.

[Smokin Joe]

Different conditions.

The US terrorists are mostly idealists who deem it their rights by God to undertake sabotage.

Nigerians do it for money, either for directly profiting by kidnapping or by stifling the flow to the govt.

There is an Islamic spin on some of that in Nigeria. Different 'god', similar result.

[NavyCanDo]

Could run sewage lines looking identical to the oil lines right next to each other. Oh never mind, the way they smell who would notice.

[Smokin Joe]

Could run sewage lines looking identical to the oil lines right next to each other. Oh never mind, the way they smell who would notice.

I don't think the Dakotas produce 475,000 bbls/day of sewage. Besides, between methane and H₂S associated with the sewage, the result could be just as explosive.

[LateForLunch]

I don't think the Dakotas produce 475,000 bbls/day of sewage. Besides, between methane and H₂S associated with the sewage, the result could be just as explosive.

From a law enforcement POV, it's generally a small number of indivduals who must be stopped from doing this (they tend to be repeaters).

One problem is that for the last eight years at least, the federal government has refused to categorize ecotarrorism as such. Instead they categorize ecoterrorism as a property-damage crime - even though many of the attacks are planned and executed by organized networks which fit the profile of terrorist groups in most ways, (such as Earth Liberation Front).

The excuse the Feds have given for ignoring the ecoterrorism threat is that their crimes rarely involve injury or death to a human being - so they assign them a lower priority on the enforcement end.

[Idiot]

Just shoot the vandals and be done with it. 

[LateForLunch]

Just shoot the vandals and be done with it. 

Well, there is that approach. One may note that there is not much of an oil-pipeline vandalism problem in Russia( likely because their law enforcement does exactly what you suggested to those who do things like that).

But of course, they have other problems such as what happened yesterday in Russia. So taking an extreme hard line on crime sometimes has a down side which must be considered. 

I happen to think that the days when the West could afford to be tolerant and patient with violent criminals especially those who engage in terrorism of any kind, is ending. So I would be personally inclined to side with Mr. "P"s suggestion to simply treat them as terrorists and shoot them if they try to evade capture. 

If I thought that Federal law enforcement agencies could be trusted to deal with the problem or advise the president/Congress ethically and competently I'd suggest that they study the issue and give recommendations.

But unfortunately I think that there is abundant and increasing evidence that the objectivity and competence of our highest crime investigative/law enforcement agencies is severely compromised by politics, greed and bald-faced self-interest to the exclusion of their likely considering the greatest common good for the nation their highest priority.

[bolobaby]

Just have unemployment social workers out there patrolling the pipeline with job applications. That should keep these guys away.

[IsailedawayfromFR]

The excuse the Feds have given for ignoring the ecoterrorism threat is that their crimes rarely involve injury or death to a human being - so they assign them a lower priority on the enforcement end.

That might be different under Trump.

He could after arresting them find out who was funding them and go after those groups as well.

[LateForLunch]

Just have unemployment social workers out there patrolling the pipeline with job applications. That should keep these guys away.

heh heh that was ah goo d'wahn, in the language of my people. heh