At Standing Rock

For months, protesters have been camping out in North Dakota to stop construction of the Dakota Access Pipeline, a $3.7 billion project that will transport oil across four states. Supporters state that the pipeline will bring millions of dollars to the area, create jobs, and decrease U.S. reliance on foreign oil; opponents want to protect sacred Standing Rock Sioux sites that pipeline construction could destroy, and worry about potential contamination of the Missouri River if a rupture were to happen. The protest camps have grown to house several thousands of people from all over the country, including members from hundreds of different tribes. Now, they’re facing pressure from authorities who say everyone must leave the camp by December 5. MTV News writer Marcus Ellsworth and podcast producer Kasia Mychajlowycz traveled to the Oceti Sakowin camp, a large allegiance of smaller camps containing an estimated 7,000-8,000 people, to talk to water protectors, volunteers, and allies about why they’re standing up against the Dakota Access Pipeline, and what they’ll do when December 5 rolls around. Voices featured in this show include Eva Cardenas, André Perez, George Pletnikoff Jr., Andre Nunez, and Liz George. You can learn more about the mission of the Oceti Sakowin camp, as well as donate to their efforts at http://www.ocetisakowincamp.org/. To learn more about the Indigenous Peoples Power Project, visit http://ip3action.org/. This episode of The Stakes was produced by Kasia Mychajlowycz, Michael Catano, James T. Green and Mukta Mohan for the MTV Podcast Network. You can subscribe this and other MTV Podcasts productions wherever you find your favorite shows.