Dear Melissa,
Huge news!
The Obama administration announced that it would deny a federal permit for the Keystone XL tar sands oil pipeline, which would run 1,700 miles across six US states bringing toxic, highly corrosive tar sands crude from Alberta, Canada, to refineries and ports in Texas.
The president stood up to Big Oil, backed by the voices of hundreds of thousands of activists just like you, who have built the movement to stop this dirty, dangerous oil project.
Thank President Obama for standing up to Big Oil and rejecting the Keystone XL oil pipeline.
I want to also thank you, our grassroots activists, who have worked so hard to get us to this point. This is a huge victory and proof that while Big Oil may have more money, we have what matters: the voice of our communities. Our victory is a victory for the boreal forest, for the Sand Hills and the Ogallala aquifer and for the protection of our climate.
Unfortunately, the fight is not over. Over the coming weeks we will need to work hard together to defend the decision to deny Keystone XL. Big Oil companies have launched an all-out assault on the president for not doing their bidding on Keystone XL. We will undoubtedly see a barrage of misinformation on Keystone XL from Big Oil in the form of flashy ads attacking the president.
Thank the president for rejecting Keystone XL and tell him that we aren't fooled by Big Oil.
Big Oil says the pipeline would ease our pain at the pump? Nope. This is a fight about oil company profits. The pipeline will actually raise gas prices in the Midwest by 10 to 20 cents a gallon, hurting American families and American farmers and putting a damper on our fragile economy.1
Oil companies say the pipeline wouldn't spill? Not buying it. The last pipeline that was built like this spilled over 12 times in the first year of production.2
The oil lobby touts the economic boom and national security benefits from the project. The truth is the job numbers have been inflated and the tar sands oil is destined for export to Europe and Latin America from refineries in a Texas free trade zone -- i.e. no taxes collected.3
Now is the time to speak truth to power, to support the president's decision and push back against Big Oil's lies about Keystone XL. Thank President Obama for rejecting Keystone XL.
Thanks for all you do to protect the environment,
Sarah Hodgdon
Sierra Club Conservation Director
P.S. We need as many people as we can get to send this message to President Obama. Please forward this message to your friends and colleagues.
[1] http://wyden.senate.gov/newsroom/press/release/?id=158ffa9a-6380-4c2a-bbec-180c16839018
[2] http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2011/08/29/keystone-pipeline-infographic_n_941069.html
[3] http://priceofoil.org/2011/08/31/report-exporting-energy-security-keystone-xl-exposed/
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