ENVIRO GROUPS STAND AGAINST TAR SANDS PIPELINE

Stop Keystone XL Pipeline – Day 5 – Nation’s Largest Environmental Organizations Stand Together To Oppose Oil Pipeline
August 24, 2011 (EcoWatch Ohio)

"The heads of the nation’s largest environmental organizations—often at odds on the best strategy for combating climate change—released a letter on Aug. 24 calling on President Obama to block the Keystone XL oil pipeline, which would span from the tar sands of Alberta to the Gulf of Mexico…[as] another 56 people headed to jail...[To date, 275 people have been arrested at the White House protesting the Keystone XL pipeline]…in the largest civil disobedience protests in the environmental movement’s recent history...[scheduled to continue through September 3]…"

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Dear President Obama:

Many of the organizations we head do not engage in civil disobedience; some do.
Regardless, speaking as individuals, we want to let you know that there is not an inch of daylight between our policy position on the Keystone Pipeline and those of the very civil protesters being arrested daily outside the White House. This is a terrible project–many of the country’s leading climate scientists have explained why in their letter last month to you. It risks many of our national treasures to leaks and spills. And it reduces incentives to make the transition to job-creating clean fuels.

You have a clear shot to deny the permit, without any interference from Congress. It’s perhaps the biggest climate test you face between now and the election. If you block it, you will trigger a surge of enthusiasm from the green base that supported you so strongly in the last election. We expect nothing less.

Sincerely,
Fred Krupp, Environmental Defense Fund
Michael Brune, Sierra Club
Frances Beinecke, Natural Resources Defense Council
Phil Radford, Greenpeace
Larry Schweiger, National Wildlife Federation
Erich Pica, Friends of the Earth
Rebecca Tarbotton, Rainforest Action Network
May Boeve, 350.org
Gene Karpinski, League of Conservation Voters
Margie Alt, Environment America