Dakota pipeline is an interesting collision of values. On the one hand, you have crude oil for fueling our economy. On the other, we have drinking water risk for down-streamers -- many of whom are first-nation peoples. 

The pipeline begs for completion, at over a billion dollars spent. However, the rest of the story is the pipeline bears hazards with the fuel. Is there a good plan for handling the waste products of crude oil that's burned? Similarly, is there a good remedy for a bad leak? How quickly would drinking water be delivered and restored after, say, a 30-minute break in the line?

Every fossil fuel transportation project must come with suitable health protections -- and I don't mean long drawn-out, debate it forever remedies.

Sometimes prevention is the best answer for maintaining clean air and water. The fossil fuel industry must "pay-go." I don't see this happening in an area of the country where water and heritage are two of the main things locals own.