You’ve reached today’s activism segment. Now that you’re informed and angry, here’s a reminder that certain awful things don’t go away quickly, so we have to stay vigilant and keep fighting them until we succeed. Today’s update: Tar Sands Resistance March.
You’d be excused if you thought Keystone was over following the February veto of the bill approving its construction. President Obama has been cynical at best in his public remarks recently, describing the project accurately as having little to do with American oil prices or consumption. Headlines were celebratory on the left and outraged on the right. Also, it feels like we’ve been fighting this project practically forever.
And yet, the permit is still up in the air. Final say rests — as it always has — with the State Department and that means continued pressure is needed on the White House. The president seems most moved by the way the pipeline would affect aquifers and farmland — much of which is located in the middle of the country.
This Saturday, June 6th, more than 60 environmental organizations including The Sierra Club, 350.org, NRDC, and Idle No More, are gathering 20 buses from 10 Midwestern states in St. Paul, Minnesota for the biggest regional march ever opposing Keystone.
Speakers include Rep. Keith Ellison, Bill McKibben, First Nation activists, Hip Hop artists and more. You can RSVP and find transportation at TarSandsResistance.org.
Then be sure to let the president know — again — that you still oppose Keystone and any project that brings toxic tar sands oil into this country. You can call, email, and write the administration through WhiteHouse.Gov/Contact and tweet @WhiteHouse. To support the Tar Sands Resistance March, use the hashtag #StopTarSands.
Update!
"Obama Just Vetoed The Keystone XL Pipeline. Now What?” by Emily Atkin at ThinkProgress Climate: final say for approving the Keystone XL permit remains with the State Department
Follow-up/new Action!
JOIN/RSVP: Tarsands Resistance March, June 6th
Let the president know you oppose approval of KXL through WhiteHouse.Gov/contact and @WhiteHouse on Twitter
Sources/further reading:
"Dozens of Canada's tar sands projects on hold as prices fall, analysis shows” at The Guardian
"The Keystone Pipeline Just Lost Big in a Shocking Canadian Election” at Mother Jones
"The Keystone XL Pipeline: What Do You Really Know? You’ve probably read a lot about it. Now take this quiz and find out what you remember.” at The Wall Street Journal
"TransCanada's Keystone Pipeline Network Under Investigation by Federal Regulators” via DeSmog Blog
"Grass-Roots Push in the Plains to Block the Keystone Pipeline’s Path” at The New York Times
Hear the segment in context:
Episode #927 "Confronting the evil of our era (Climate)"
Revisit the original action/segment:
Written by BOTL social media/activism director Katie Klabusich
