At this point you've familiarized yourself with the basic arguments surrounding the Dakota Access Pipeline. In the final essay, I'd like you to take that knowledge and expand upon it by doing contextual research that you can use to apply to an argument relevant to the pipeline controversy or to a related broader issue.

To update you on the situation, the pipeline is now up and running since Trump approved it last February, but controversy continues to surround it (see this article on challenges to Trump's decision, or this one on protesters vandalizing the pipeline).

Topics

In terms of specific research topics, I am happy for you to take the essay in any direction you choose (within reason, of course), but I offer a few suggestions (and sources) below.

Do further research on the environmental justice movement, and situate the Standing Rock protests within that movement. You might start your research with this article, which argues that Standing Rock is a sign of change within the environmental movement.
Do further research on Trump's energy policy in order to make a judgement of his decision to allow the pipeline to go through. "Energy policy" is a huge topic, so you might limit yourself to the Trump administration's policy on oil exploration and energy infrastructure. You should find a lot of opinions on this which might be helpful, even if they don't address the pipeline specifically.
Do further research on what is gained with the Dakota Access pipeline. Here you might research American energy needs, jobs gained, etc.
Do further research on the relationship between Native Peoples and the energy and resource industry. The Standing Rock Sioux are just one example of a Native American tribe with a history of conflicts with energy companies and the Army Corp of Engineers. Use an enhanced understanding of that history to make an argument about the Dakota Access Pipeline that goes beyond permits and environmental impact reports.

Sources

There has been a lot of coverage of this controversy, so there are a lot of articles of all different kinds:

Basic reporting on the situation can be found in most major newspapers
Editorials and opinion pieces have been published in most major newspapers (we already read 2 such articles by Archambault and Cramer)
Analysis of the situation can also be found in publications that produce longer, deeper analysis (The Atlantic, The New Yorker, Time, etc).

I suggest you start with these types of sources to get a sense of who is arguing what. Remember, almost any publication that won't give you access to an article can be accessed via the SRJC library--ask a librarian!

In addition, governmental reports, studies, and basic histories may also be helpful. One thing to look out for is when those types of more specialized research are mentioned in the types of sources listed above (like a newspaper article that reports on a study). So you can use those mainstream media sources to help you locate more specialized research.

Basic Goals and Requirements

The essay must:

Be 5-7 pages, incorporating at least 5 different credible research sources (2 of these may be the articles that we've already read on the controversy)
Focus on a thesis that makes an argument about the Dakota Access Pipeline controversy (This argument does not necessarily have to be "The pipeline is bad" or "The pipeline is good." It could be something like "The pipeline protests are an example of a shift in American environmental values.")
Use a clear and logical organizational strategy, with focused and clearly related paragraphs.
Execute and explain contextual research related to the pipeline that enhances your understanding of the situation and controversy (see topic ideas above).
Be formatted according to MLA style, with properly formatted in-text citations and a Works Cited page.
Incorporate sources properly for a reader who has not read them.