audio, stills, text and or video: Go to zReportage.com to see more - Pipeline projects have become part of an intense public debate over the energy future of the US. The Dakota Access Pipeline would carry 500,000 barrels of crude per day from North Dakota to Illinois along a route that passes near the Standing Rock reservation, which has a 41 percent poverty rate. Federal agencies have raised environmental justice concerns because of that. An estimated 7.4 billion barrels of undiscovered oil is believed to be in the US portion of the Bakken Formation, according to the US Geological Survey. The Standing Rock Sioux Tribe has sued the federal government, saying the Native American tribe was not properly consulted over the project to construct a 1,168-mile crude oil pipeline that extends over four states. While proponents of the Dakota Access Pipeline tout its economic boost, opponents question its environmental impact. The US Army Corps of Engineers approved the project, granting final permits in July, to the dismay of environmentalists and the Standing Rock Sioux Tribe. However last week the U.S. government announced that it was voluntarily halting work on the project.
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January 1, 2014 - Standing Rock, North Dakota, U.S. - CARLA CLAH is a Navajo community organizer from Chicago. ''I am here for my grandfather.'' She is holding a copy of the Fort Laramie Treaty of 1851, one many treaty promises the United States government has broken.
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September 12, 2016 - Standing Rock, North Dakota, U.S. - Activists drive by a construction site northwest of Cannon Ball where construction of the Dakota Access Pipeline had progressed earlier last week.
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September 13, 2016 - Standing Rock, North Dakota, U.S. - Environmentalists such as BERNIE ZABEL and natives join forces to march to the site where graves were disturbed, according to Standing Rock Reservation leaders. A couple hundred protesters also joined together to offer tobacco and prayers at the construction site where natives claim that graves were desecrated.
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September 12, 2016 - Standing Rock, North Dakota, U.S. - A native-themed version of the American Flag along with a standard one, hung upside down as a sign of distress, fly at the camp directly across where confrontations have taken place between the pipeline company and protesters.
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September 13, 2016 - Standing Rock, North Dakota, U.S. - With fist raised in a power salute and an invocation chant, a medicine man gathered protesters near the site where Standing Rock Reservation leaders said graves were desecrated. Hundreds of protesters have gathered at Red Warrior Camp to protest the construction of the Dakota Access Pipeline because of its threat to clean water and the environment.
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January 1, 2014 - Standing Rock, North Dakota, U.S. - BRIAN GRANBOIS ,59, is a Dene Suline native from Cold Lake, Alberta in Canada. Back home he says he cannot drink the water because of pollution from the Alberta Tar Sands.''When you violate one nation, you do it to all of us,'' says Granbois in regards to the threat from the Dakota Access Pipeline.
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September 12, 2016 - Standing Rock, North Dakota, U.S. - The Red Warrior camp hosts hundreds of protesters continues to maintain a sizable population with supporters coming and going. Some protesters have vouched to remain until the construction is permanently halted.
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May 13, 2016 - Standing Rock, North Dakota, U.S. -Thecla Two Bears of Kyle, a Lakota from the Pine Ridge Reservation had her horse , OId Gray, a 5-year old gelding, painted with war paint to protect the people.
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September 12, 2016 - Standing Rock, North Dakota, U.S. - MARCUS FREJO, in light, an activist from Oklahoma, leads a group of natives, the Water Warriors, many from his his home state, in a moment of reverence before lunch is serve inside a tipi. Trejo is committed to be at Red Warrior Camp for weeks, determined to stop the construction of the Dakota Access Pipeline which activists say threatens the water quality of the nearby Standing Rock Reservation. He was later arraigned on trespassing charges on a DAPL site.
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September 12, 2016 - Standing Rock, North Dakota, U.S. - Protesters against the Dakota Access Pipeline gather around in a circle near the kitchen in a sign of unity. The Red Warrior Camp which hosts hundreds of protesters continues to maintain a sizable population with supporters coming and going. Some protesters have vouched to remain until the construction is permanently halted.
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May 19, 2016 - Standing Rock, North Dakota, U.S. - ''I want clean water because there are going to be seven generations who come after me,'' says THECLA TWO BEARS, a Lakota from Kyle, South Dakota, on the Pine Ridge Reservation. She came with her children, and her horse Old Gray.
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May 14, 2016 - Standing Rock, North Dakota, U.S. - TOM BARRETT JR., a member of the Red Lake Reservation in Northern Minnesota rapped against the Dakota Access Pipeline. He encouraged his fans to use video and social media to promote the #nodapl cause. Red Warrior Camp is hosting hundreds of protesters intent on stopping the pipeline project.
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September 11, 2016 - Standing Rock, North Dakota, U.S. - KEVIN BROWN, far left, of Spirit Lake Nation in North Dakota spent time with family before winning his heat and in the 200m race and eventually the finals.''Don't need no car. Don't need no gas. The only gas you need is grass,'' he said.
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January 1, 2014 - Standing Rock, North Dakota, U.S. - JUSTIN MARSHALL is Rosebud Lakota who is a Master of Ceremony at the main camp fire. ''The creator called me to protect what is sacred to my people,'' he says.
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September 11, 2016 - Standing Rock, North Dakota, U.S. - KEVIN BROWN, far left, of Spirit Lake Nation in North Dakota won his heat and eventually the finals of the 200m race.''Don't need no car. Don't need no gas. The only gas you need is grass,'' he said.
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September 11, 2016 - Standing Rock, North Dakota, U.S. - Children swim in the Cannonball River which feed into the Missouri a few hundred yards away. Protesters vouch to stop the Dakota Access Pipeline because they say it threatens the Missouri River, and the aquifer. Hundreds of protesters who are camping on a site that borders both the Cannon Ball and the Missouri.
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May 13, 2016 - Standing Rock, North Dakota, U.S. - A bald eagle staff from the Blackfeet delegation from Montana is held up during the welcoming ceremony at Red Warrior camp.
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May 19, 2016 - Standing Rock, North Dakota, U.S. - RAY SKIP SANDMAN, is a member of the Fond du Lac Tribe in northern Minnesota. He is a Navy Vet who did two tours from 1971-74. ''Too many times water is taken for granted,'' says Sandman.
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January 1, 2014 - Standing Rock, North Dakota, U.S. - SANDY LOUIS, an Ottawa Indian from Michigan, and DENNIS JORDAN, a member of Standing Rock Reservation, tied the knot in a Native American Church ceremony in the early evening. Jordan had prayed for someone special before he came down to the camps. Two weeks later he found his beloved and is married.
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May 19, 2016 - Standing Rock, North Dakota, U.S. - CHENAE BULLOCK, 28, is a Long Island Shinnecock. ''I am protecting mother earth. I am making sure my relatives out here are secure for the winter.'' she says.
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September 16, 2016 - Standing Rock, North Dakota, U.S. - SANDY LOUIS, an Ottawa Indian from Michigan, and Dennis Jordan, a member of Standing Rock Reservation, tied the knot in a Native American Church ceremony in the early evening. Jordan had prayed for someone special before he came down to the camps. Two weeks later he found his beloved and is married.
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September 14, 2016 - Standing Rock, North Dakota, U.S. - MARION SPOTTED ELK, 8 months, happily feeds from formula in a bottle made with tap water drawn from the Missouri River. Her father, TRAVIS, and wife DUSTY AYUTAPI are concerned about the impact of the Dakota Access Pipeline. ''We use water for everything,'' says Ayutapi.
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January 1, 2014 - Standing Rock, North Dakota, U.S. - ''I felt the ancestors when I was here on August 22...All I could do was tear up when I went home,'' says Raymond Uses, a Cheyenne River Sioux who has been on the tribal council for 24 years. He returned this past week for another visit.
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September 15, 2016 - Standing Rock, North Dakota, U.S. - GIDEON EUGENE BEARD checks on when activist/relative Marcus Frejo will be released on bail for trespassing on the Dakota Access Pipeline. Beard was concerned about the delay.
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September 15, 2016 - Standing Rock, North Dakota, U.S. - Activist MARCUS FREJO is arraigned on trespassing charges at the Morton County courthouse in North Dakota. The well-known rapper/leader was able to post bail and be released. He is leading a group of protesters, many from Oklahoma at the Red Warrior Camp.
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January 1, 2014 - Standing Rock, North Dakota, U.S. - On the other side of the Red Warrior Camp is the Lakota/Rosebud Camp.
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September 17, 2016 - Standing Rock, North Dakota, U.S. - RAIN SWAN,13, is Crow/Lakota who is dancing in her fancy shawl outfit to the drumming of Iron Bull, a group from the Standing Rock Reservation. I am ''trying to save the kids who are coming into this world so they can have clean water,'' she said.
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September 17, 2016 - Standing Rock, North Dakota, U.S. - DELFORD BOB JR., 45, is an Ottawa Ojibwe from Canada who has come to Red Warrior Camp to dance. ''I am against people poisoning the water,'' he says. He is wearing a headband that has a thunderbird, which brings water to the people.
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