Minnesota
We Must Stop the Keystone XL Pipeline: If approved, the Keystone XL Pipeline will lock the U.S. into a Long-Term Dependence on Dirty Oil from the Alberta Oil Sands
This summer, the Sierra Club launched a campaign in Minnesota to combat one of the most toxic fossil fuels on the planet, tar sands oil.
A Canadian oil company, TransCanada, is attempting to rush through a dangerous pipeline that will carry the toxic tar sands oil across pristine land in six states in order to reach the Gulf Coast, where it can be sold on the international market.
One of the most concerning aspects of this pipeline is that it would lock us into a dependence on expensive foreign oil at a time when we should be developing clean, home-grown energy solutions. Increasing our emphasis on conservation and renewable energy sources would not only help clean up our water and air but would also help America become energy independent and create long-term jobs in Minnesota.
Minnesota won't see any benefits from this pipeline. Instead, we will pay 10 to 20 cents more per gallon of gasoline (1) while nearly a third of our agricultural and drinking water will be at risk of contamination (2).
Help the campaign by telling President Obama, Secretary of State Clinton, Senator Franken and Senator Klobuchar to say NO to the Keystone XL tar sands oil pipeline.
TransCanada has earned a reputation as a bad actor. The company is known for bullying landowners with legitimate safety concerns and threatening them with eminent domain (3). Moreover, their previous tar sands oil pipeline has already leaked at least 14 times in its first year of operation (4).
Now TransCanada wants to build a new pipeline through America's heartland, and it's up to us to stop them. We need your help to do it! If you are interested in getting more involved in the campaign contact me at Steve.Schultz@sierraclub.org.
1. "If gas prices go up further, blame Canada," Philip Verleger, StarTribune: March 13, 2011.
2. "High Plains Regional Ground-Water Study," F.F. Dennehy, USGS: October 26, 2010.
3. "Texas activists ready to fight over $7bn oil pipeline in the home of black gold," Suzanne Goldenberg, The Guardian: March 2, 2011.
4. "Keystone Oil Pipeline: Regulators Block Restart Of Keystone Oil Pipeline, Cite Leaks," Lucia Graves and Tom Zeller Jr., The Huffington Post: June 3, 2011.