The corner of Kimball Street and Grove Avenue saw a powerful protest on Sept. 13, 2016. Prominent environmental advocacy groups around the area took part in a protest against the creation and implementation of the Dakota access pipeline.

Projected plans aim to connect existing pipelines in Illinois to a newly constructed one in Dakota. It will span from the Bakken region of North Dakota into South Dakota, Iowa and Illinois, cutting through 50 different counties. The goal is to send freshly fracked crude oil efficiently and quickly across this Midwestern region. The route for this pipeline, however, crosses through land designated as sacred ancestral property by the Standing Rock Sioux tribe. Failure to consult the tribe, rushed construction despite strong disapproval and lack of government action have spurred protests from the Natives and environmental groups alike. Along with the cultural insensitivity, the pipeline has environmentally hazardous implications as well. It will not only impact the Native American reservations of the area but the environment as a whole. In the past week, the Standing Rock Sioux have released the following statement;

“The Standing Rock Sioux Tribe will continue to explore all legal, legislative and administrative options to stop construction of the Dakota Access Pipeline. The pipeline has already led to the destruction of our sacred sites.”

While opposition is high, proponents of the pipeline argue its economic value. The $3.7 billion dollar project is said to create more than 10,000 jobs, and bring $156 million dollars worth of profit to local and state government agencies.

Local organizations such as the Friends of the Fox River, Fox Valley Citizens for Peace & Justice, Schweitzer Environmental Center and the Sierra Club, have joined together with a large-scale climate safety group, 350.org, in order to protest the construction of this pipeline.

These groups assembled in Elgin on Tuesday, what was coined as the National Day of Action, in order to enlist the help of President Obama to stop the construction of the pipeline once and for all. Statements from the Friends of the Fox River group claimed that they stood “in solidarity with tribal nations” in order “to stop the Dakota Access Pipeline permanently.”

Infringement of tribal culture and dangers to the environment have both been taken into consideration by these groups. They claim that government action has been lackluster with no significant restrictions on the pipeline. Due to this stagnancy protests have continued and even escalated to violence in some areas. Oil companies of the area instead ask that benefits of the line be analyzed and considered before any judgment is made. Both sides are battling for legislative support, which has largely been undecided. Local advocacy groups ask that members of the Elgin and the larger Chicagoland area join in with their protests and prevent Illinois from condoning the wrongs of the company as well as remaining environmentally friendly.