Commentary

Earthjustice: President Vetoes Congress’s Keystone Pipeline Bill


President Obama rejects Congress’s attempt to approve short-sighted pipeline and circumvent State department review

Concerned members of the public from 350.org and other organizations carry a 200-yard inflatable pipeline around the Capitol Building in 2014, demanding that the President Obama reject the Keystone XL tar sands pipeline.

Concerned members of the public, organized by 350.org and other groups, carry a 200-yard inflatable pipeline around the Capitol Building in 2014, demanding that the President Obama reject the Keystone XL tar sands pipeline. Photo by Steven Tuttle via 350.org

Washington, D.C. —(ENEWSPF)–February 24, 2015. President Obama has vetoed a Congressional bill that would have legislated approval of the controversial Keystone Pipeline and bypassed State Department review.

The following is a statement by Earthjustice Vice President of Policy and Legislation Marty Hayden:

“We commend and applaud President Obama and his administration for courageously choosing the right path for our country. The President was right to veto Congress’s attempt to bypass State Department review and force approval of the Keystone Pipeline.

“Climate change is too real of a threat and too costly of a problem for us to make dangerous and short-sighted decisions like building tar sands pipelines or investing in any other form of extreme energy.

“Our country doesn’t need extreme and dirty tar sands energy, and putting our own communities in harm’s way so that we can export tar sands oil out of our country should be out of the question.

“The decision to reject the tar sands pipeline bill is a decision that puts our communities and national interest above the corporate polluter special interests who are calling the shots in this new Congress.

“Our children and their future will reap the rewards of today’s good decision.”

About Earthjustice

Earthjustice is the premier nonprofit environmental law organization. We wield the power of law and the strength of partnership to protect people’s health, to preserve magnificent places and wildlife, to advance clean energy, and to combat climate change. We are here because the earth needs a good lawyer.

Source: www.earthjustice.org

Related Article:

Veto Message from President Obama to the Senate Re: S. 1, Keystone XL Pipeline Approval Act


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