(KAIR)--Protectors, not protesters. 

That distinction is made by local area resident Felicia Smith, who is organizing a second Atchison gathering in opposition to the Dakota Access Pipeline. "We're trying to protect the Missouri River...it's set to cross the Missouri River in two different locations. These pipes are pumping 450,000 gallons of oil per day, so should anything happen to them...it will definitely contaminate the Missouri River." 

Smith tells MSC News the protest is planned for Saturday morning, at the Atchison riverfront. "It will be happening at 10 a.m. sharp. A few of us plan to have a procession from McDonald's down to the river, so we can bring down drums and singers so we can kind of parade down to the rivefront at the Veterans Memorial Park." 

Last week, the first Atchison protest was held, bringing around 40 people. Smith says her goal for this second gathering is to see 200 in attendance. "There's so many that's unaware of what's going on, so they haven't had a voice in this, and then the other half of the reason why I'm doing this is to fight with the people up at Standing Rock and to show they have our support."  

The Associated Press reports that construction began on the $3.8 million dollar pipeline earlier this month. The crude oil pipeline would start in North Dakota and pass through South Dakota and Iowa before ending in Illinois. 

The Bismarck, N.D., reported the Standing Rock Sioux tribe is suing the Army Corps of Engineers over the approval of the oil pipeline’s crossing beneath the Missouri River a half-mile north of its reservation, which it argues could threaten the water supply for the tribe and other communities downstream. A hearing is scheduled to take place this coming week in Washington, D.C.

The Des Moines Register reports a judge is expected to rule on the tribe's request to halt construction by September 9.