Yesterday, I left Medora as the sun was rising.

I stopped at the Painted Canyon Overlook before the dawn could set the canyon on fire with color.  I headed towards the entrance ramp and then decided to pass over the freeway altogether, turning down a gravel road through Little Missouri National Grasslands.

As I cautiously drove down a hill, I spotted an bobbing oil pump in the midst of what I thought was protected land.  Some of the most beautiful land I have ever seen.  The gravel road descended towards the now visible pump, industrial buildings, and dug-out land so I turned around as a truck barrelled past me, down the hill.

Soon after, I took the exit towards Theodore Roosevelt National Park’s north entrance.  There were no cars, just trucks.  On this unassuming rural highway, giant trucks raced past, jolting my little car as I hung on to the steering wheel for dear life.  I saw an eerie, flame, dancing in the distance just off the highway.  Now, I realize it was an oil flare.  

Oil extraction and processing is literally devastating western North Dakota as it exploits the land, people, and Native American land.  Oil companies wish to dig for oil in Theodore Roosevelt National Park itself.

Currently, we are all concerned about the proposed Keystone National Pipeline which would run through North Dakota, a major aquifer, Tribal Nations homeland, and near Theodore Roosevelt National Park.  In addition, dirty tar sands would be carted across the reservations and scenic highways.

Although Transcanada claims the pipeline will have no environmental effect, they have a tarnished record regarding oil leaks from their first pipeline.