Reject the Keystone XL pipeline
0ST. PAUL (Sept. 28, 2011) — Today a group of Minnesota residents held a demonstration outside the DFL headquarters in Saint Paul, Minnesota, calling on President Obama to reject the Keystone XL pipeline.
The former Obama supporters gave video testimony, pledging to renew their commitment to the President if he fulfills his campaign promise to tackle climate change and rid the country of its addiction to oil.
The proposed 1, 700 mile pipeline would carry dirty oil from the tar sands in Canada through America’s heartland to refineries in the Gulf of Mexico, opening up tar sands oil for export to international markets including China. A rupture in the pipeline could cause a BP style oil spill in the Midwest, poisoning the drinking water of 20 million people and rendering up to 30 percent of our nation’s agricultural water useless.
NASA’s top climate scientist, James Hansen, says that fully developing the tar sands in Canada would mean “essentially game over” for the climate.”
On the night of Obama’s nomination, he told the world that under his leadership, “the rise of the oceans will begin to slow, and the planet will begin to heal.” The demonstration held today let his campaign know that the people of Minnesota heard President Obama loud and clear.
“We need energy solutions that benefit us well into the future, and the Keystone XL is just too costly, too temporary, and benefits too few to go forward. Any way you cut it, this pipeline that would likely raise gas prices in the Midwest and threaten our energy security is just not in our national interest,” said Hans Wagner, one of over 1,250 people who were arrested at the White House nearly a month ago at a related demonstration.
Another demonstrator and former Obama volunteer, Bonnie Brooks, who was also arrested outside the White House had this to say, “If Obama stands with the people and rejects this pipeline, we will show up to get him re-elected. If he sides with big oil, we’ll have to put our energy elsewhere.”
Testimonial videos can be viewed and shared at youtube.com/user/tctarsandsaction.
For more information on the action outside the White House and more around the country visit tarsandsaction.org.
