?Ever since the days of the gold rush, Americans have been trying to make a quick buck. Well the North Dakota Oil Pipeline is no different. Big oil companies that run the pipelines in the area have been trying to make as much money as they can with the least amount of expenditure on their part. This, in many ways, can be considered the “modern gold rush." Though, this has created this now concerning problem in the badlands of America where every day crude oil leaks out of poorly maintained pipelines. For almost ten years, America has been driving for “oil independence,” or not relying on foreign fuel. By striving for independence on foreign oil, many companies have made oil pipelines throughout the Midwest and badlands, North Dakota being a huge center point for this pipeline network. This pipeline system has reduced our need for foreign oil, but at what cost? North Dakota’s pipeline system has been running at max capacity and continues to reach new highs, which leaves us to wonder when new pipelines are going to enter the mix. The problem is that many think that the currently running pipelines aren’t being regulated properly, therefore don’t think we should expand to new projects until the old ones are taken care of and properly maintained. Further frustrations heats up the debate on whether or not to expand the pipeline system. People are beginning to question why there is a lack of forward progress on TransCanada Corp Keystone Pipeline and why the government is so sluggish when it comes to pipeline safety measures. It has been three years since regulators promised the American people that they would take care of pipeline safety, and the situation still hasn't been dealt with. Those promises came after an incident in Michigan were a pipeline burst and eight hundred and forty three thousand gallons of oil plagued the area. From that point, operators have said they would keep tighter monitoring of pipes for possible leaks