Dakota Access Pipeline Project: National Day of Solidarity with Standing Rock Sioux Tribe

PHOENIX (KSAZ) - A rally took place Tuesday night in Phoenix as part of a national day of solidarity with the Standing Rock Sioux Tribe.

Activists gathered at Steele Indian School Park and called on President Obama to revoke permits for construction on the pipeline that would run nearly 1,200 miles carrying oil from North Dakota to South Dakota and Iowa to an existing pipeline in Illinois.

Last week, three government agencies asked crews to voluntarily pause work on an area where the Standing Rock Sioux Tribe says there are sacred artifacts.

Those opposed to the project are also concerned drinking water supplies could be contaminated.

Speakers at the rally included Kristin Payestewa, the third cousin of Lori Piestewa, who was killed in Iraq.

"I feel like what I would like to tell him is that our future is his future as well and we have children that are going to feel these repercussions and that his kids are going to see that too and that when he halts something temporarily it's like putting a band-aid on a leak, because it's going to keep leaking out and it's going to build up," said Payestewa.

"I would tell him that water is life and everything on this earth is living," she added. "..and if anything, I would tell him that it is time to make the decision to permanently take this pipeline off the table. It is time."

The Texas company that is building the pipeline says construction is almost 60 percent complete and says concerns about the impact on water are unfounded. Energy Transfer Partners says it's committed to the project.

Protests continue at the site.