SAN DIEGO - A local water conservation group staged a protest and march downtown Saturday.
The group San Diego Water Protectors marched through the city and stopped at banks they said are funding the controversial Dakota Access Pipeline project in Cannon Ball, N.D.
Along the way, protesters played music, sang songs, and waved to drivers to spread their message of "divest for Standing Rock."
Related: Dakota Access pipeline work underway
The pipeline project is now at it's closets to completion than it has been in prior months. On Wednesday, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers granted easement to the project's developer, Energy Transfer Partners, allowing them to begin construction beneath Lake Oahe.
The developer resumed construction on Thursday.
The $3.8 million pipeline was stalled for months due to opposition by the Standing Rock Sioux and protesters, who had extended a court battle with the Crops and Energy Transfer Partners. The tribe fears that a leak in the pipeline could endanger drinking water at its reservation just downstream from the proposed site of the construction.
However, last month in one of his first executive actions, President Donald trump instructed the Corps to advance construction of the pipeline.
Tribal Chairman Dave Archambault said in a statement that the tribe will continue fighting the pipeline "in the courts."
"We will continue to fight against an administration that seeks to dismiss not only our treaty rights and status as sovereign nations, but the safe drinking water of millions of Americans," the chairman said.
Michael Gold is a KGTV photojournalist. Follow him on Twitter at @10NewsGold.
Mark Saunders is a KGTV digital producer. Follow him on Twitter at @10NewsSaunders.
