separate-oil-and-state-protest-CC-WIll-WysongAccording to multiple sources the State Department will issue its long awaited Final Environmental Impact Statement on the Keystone XL tar sands pipeline later today.

The early spin today is that “environmentalists will be disappointed”.  But consider the source.   Last week, Jack Gerard, the head of the American Petroleum Institute, told Reuters that  “It’s our expectation it will be released next week” Apparently Gerard cited sources within the administration.

“We’re expecting to hear the same conclusion that we’ve heard four times before: no significant impact on the environment,” Gerard said.

Two facts are important here:

1)   Jack Gerard is saying the pipeline won’t impact the environment.  This is about as surprising as the sun setting in the west.

2)   Jack Gerard was apparently briefed by “sources within the Administration” on the timing and content of the report.  Before the environmental community.  Before Congress.  Before anyone else.

If that doesn’t prove once and for all what a corrupt process this has been, I don’t know what will.  The oil industry, which has had this process rigged since the word go, are the first to know, because of their cozy and corrupt role in this process.

Even so, the report that comes out today may in fact show what we already know, that the Keystone XL pipeline will by any measure fail the President’s own climate test. Even a corrupt process like the one we’ve seen can’t beat back such a fundamental truth.

Last June, President Obama noted that he and others in Washington needed to be less concerned with ‘well connected donors, and more concerned with the judgment of posterity.’ And in the recent State of the Union, he implored, “It should be the power of our vote, not the size of our bank account, that drives our democracy.”

We intend to hold the President to his word.

 

 

 

 

23 Comments

  • Harper must be peeing in his pants right now.
    the cheque’s in the mail. even if he doesn’t win the next election, he’ll be put on a board for the Oil Sands, and make millions.

  • And how do you intend to “hold the president to his word”? Please enlighten. I am one p—ed citizen.

  • No wonder no mention of this in his State of the Union speech where he could have rejected this outright-if you can’t trust him as a democrat it looks hopeless for anything

  • Please do not destroy the United States of America. If you care anything about the earth, the animals and of course for us humans you will not undertake this dangerous ACTION!!!

  • Did we not learn from the BP accident that to continue the way we are going is bad for all of us. The impact of that is still no fully known. Earth will survive us, we cannot live without her. It is time for REAL CHANGE. We must cherish and protect the only home we have. We are very unintelligent if we thank we do not have to make change.

  • They were ‘arguing’ about the ‘delay’ on Fox News today…

    “Why are we still waiting for the XL Pipeline? It has been proven it will be absolutely SAFE!!!

    Yeah, right…how much does the Koch bros pay you to peddle that BS?

  • I SO AGREE, IT SEEMS WE AS PEOPLE WHO KNOW THE IMPACT THIS IS GOING TO MAKE TO OUR HOMELAND. THESE MEN HAVE NO RESPECT FOR OUR LAND, THEY WILL RAPE AND KEEP ON TILL NOTHING IS LEFT…AND WE CAN’T DO ANYTHING ABOUT IT…I AM SICKEN BY THE THOUGHT…

  • A tremendous disappointment if the Keystone XL pipeline is not stopped. An official report implying that the environmental impact is negligible is shameful. Any hindrance to tar sand mining is a plus for the earth and every living organism on it.

  • Mr. President, it is time to take a stand for what you know is right : block Keystone XL and abandon your disastrous “all the above energy policy”. Show some true leadership now, or you will be regarded by history as just another climate criminal. Is that the legacy you want?

  • It’s one thing if there were leaks. Those are not unusual or preventable; witness Manning and our friend holed up in Russia. However if >2) Jack Gerard was apparently briefed by “sources within the Administration” on the timing and content of the report. Before the environmental community. Before Congress. Before anyone else.< that is very different, and one should have proof before such a charge is made. The State Department must proceed with its evaluation free of interference from the President. ANY connection with that process would be objectionable, at least. To charge the President with corruption because he did not dictate the report's content is ludicrous. Wait for the decision, and read it, before you cry foul.

  • After the significant environmental disasters from 2 leaks in the OTHER tar sands pipeline [ that harmed hundreds of Americans],which demonstrated the TOXICITY of tar sands oil, it is unbelievable that the state dept. says XL poses no environmental threat !

  • corporations are above the government and so are the bankers. It’s time for a change and it’s up to the people to make our governments work for the people like their supposed to.

  • The accusations do not really stand up. Corporations and bankers are not above the government of the U.S. or the government of Canada. The people of the U.S. have the opportunity to vote. The people of Canada have the opportunity to vote. We all have the opportunity to work for political parties and for candidates. But no government is designed to work exclusively for one group. That is why every group often gets angry. Have none of those who commented ever taken a course in political science or economics? Where is the knowledge of biological ecology? My vote is for rational decision making, full disclosure and transparency, careful weighing of the all the factors concerned, and respectful debate.
    Why are so many people on all sides of this issue so quick to jump to conclusions?

  • We’ve already had too many spills from these tar sands oils aready and none of them successfully cleaned up to date.. This will not be fuel for America and as soon as pipeline is complete there will be a handful of jobs only. Just say NO. It’s not worth it.

  • I believe this process has been rigged from the beginning. Our politicians are in bed with Corporations. It is the Corporations who are making the decisions. They are in the drivers seat with our lives, our land, our health, our future. They do not have any and I mean any concept of reciprocity. It is all flows one way to them, taking for themselves and from the future. They do not give a dam about the people, any people. They are so disconnected from the earth as being alive, from the reality of our need for life from the earth.

  • There is no Planet B! Save our Mother Earth! Water is Survival! Save our Water!
    Just say no to TransCanada’s Keystone XL Pipeline! Save our Climate!

  • The NJ Governor stopped believing in global warming. He will allow tracking under our reservoir that supplies clean water to millions of people. The pipeline was also authorized to destroy every tree on a historic home and a National Park and it runs thru much of our town. Pleas let your voices heard in your states. It’s not enough to post on here
    Call and write to everyone in your town or city. Protest at state government. Don’t let it go. This has to be stopped. The CEO told them not to run the pipe thru.his property. The arrogance! Stop before it’s too late. Our Earth will change and we the people will pay dearly.

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