Keystone XL Protests
WASHINGTON — The fight over the construction of TransCanada’s Keystone XL reached a pivotal moment on Sunday when an estimated 10,000 demonstrators gathered outside of the White House to call on President Obama to reject the proposed oil sands pipeline. In a statement on Tuesday, Obama vowed to take final ownership of the decision, which has become arguably the most important, high-profile environmental issue facing him before the 2012 election.
“President Obama can reignite the passion of Americans who care about clean air and clean water if he stands up for the health and livelihood of America’s heartland, takes a stand against this climate catastrophe, and rejects this pipeline,” Sierra Club Executive Director Michael Brune said in a statement on Sunday. “Denying the Keystone XL permit will send a clear signal that the U.S. government recognizes our true ‘national interest’ before oil company profits.”
If approved by the White House, the pipeline could pump millions of barrels of crude oil from tar sands in Canada to oil refineries along the Gulf Coast. Since the pipeline crosses an international border, the decision to issue the permit rests with the State Department, which is expected to complete its review of the pipeline by the end of the year. By asserting a role in the final decision, Obama has made the project a defining point in his administration’s stance on environmental issues — a fact protesters have been keen to emphasize through demonstrations that began in August.
Actor Mark Ruffalo, activist Bill McKibben and Sierra Club executive director Mike Brune were among the thousands to join hands around the White House in a culmination of the protests. Activists encircled the White House as they called on the president to reject TransCanada’s 1,700-mile oil pipeline that they fear will contribute irrevocably to global warming. Some carried a long, black tubular float that read “Stop The XL Pipeline.” Others wore orange safety vests to remind spectators of the threat of potential spills.
Keystone XL Protests
By HH Archive
