“Letter to President Trump”, 25 January 2017

…This is not only a Native American movement, it is a movement of the working class…Millions stand by us, and will continue to do so as we receive executive indication that infrastructure projects will be driven by corporate desire rather than American values…[T]he [Environmental Impact Statement]…is already underway...This change in course is arbitrary and without justification; the law requires that changes in agency positions be backed by new circumstances or new evidence…It makes it even more difficult when one considers the close personal ties you and your associates have had with Energy Transfer Partners and Sunoco. Your memorandum issues these directives with the condition that these actions are carried out “to the extent permitted by law.”…[T]he law now requires an Environmental Impact Statement. The USACE now lacks statutory authority to issue the easement because it has committed to the EIS process. Federal law, including the requirement of reasonable agency decision making, prevents that…