If there is a reasonable alternative way, that’s fine. These particular Indians will not receive any payment for a pipeline that is not on their land. Their loss.
One argument was that the pipeline ran under a river. It may sound reasonable at first, but it is not. You just cannot always avoid rivers. Our tens of thousands of miles of pipeline do not go beyond the headwaters of each river, to the other side. They go over, or under rivers.
If an alternative route proves to be too expensive, this topic should be revisited. A new President will make all the difference to the Army Corps of Engineers, if that is his decision.
It wasn't going on their land in the first place. Unlike the Mandan, Hidatsa, and Arikara and the Trutle Mountain Chippewa, the Standing Rock Sioux have no oil under their land. They do not own the land the pipeline is/was crossing. No, they weren't going to make any money off this. What do you think the entire delay was about? A hold up, in more ways than one.
The tribe has behaved dishonorably in this. I will never spend a dime at their casinos, nor on their land, and will make a point of never hiring anyone from the Tribe.
The time to discuss alternative routes is BEFORE construction. That was done. The Standing Rock Sioux were invited to the party. Hundreds of adjustments and route changes were made before construction started. This had all been approved.
The pipeline does not cross Tribal land.
This isn't just moving a line on a map, but now involves tens of miles of emplaced pipe, valves, pumping and monitoring equipment. You can't just load it on the truck and move it over. If not abandoned, the pipe would have to be dug up, cut into sections, re-inspected, moved, welded back together, and buried again. The old route would have to be reclaimed. What you are saying is like saying "Maybe this parking lot would look better over there".