North Dakota leaders urge Obama for pipeline completion

BISMARCK, N.D. (AP) — North Dakota's governor and congressional delegation are pressuring President Barack Obama to pave the way for completion of the disputed Dakota Access oil pipeline, protests over which they say are taxing law enforcement and are costing millions of dollars.

Obama raised the possibility of rerouting the pipeline earlier this month, which Kelcy Warren, CEO of pipeline developer Energy Transfer Partners, told The Associated Press is not an option from the company's standpoint.

The protests have garnered the attention of several celebrities, two of which — Jane Fonda and Shailene Woodley — will be at the Standing Rock reservation Thursday to help serve Thanksgiving dinner to about 2,000 protesters.

Morton County Sheriff Kyle Kirchmeier said Monday that U.S. Customs and Border Protection will be providing some Border Patrol agents to help his department, the state Highway Patrol and officers from other states, though he didn't say how many.