Friends of the Earth statement on the Senate effort to force pro-Keystone XL vote

Friends of the Earth statement on the Senate effort to force pro-Keystone XL vote

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today the proposed legislation to force approval of the Keystone XL permit suffered a fatal blow in the Senate. Sen. John Hoeven (R-N.D.) and Sen. Mary Landrieu (D-La.) wanted to hijack an energy efficiency bill to bypass the president and immediately authorize TransCanada’s application to build the pipeline.

Ross Hammond, Senior campaigner for the climate and energy program at Friends of the Earth, had the following comment:

It’s fitting that this embarrassing overreach by the oil industry and their Congressional allies failed so soon after the release of the National Climate Assessment. The failure of this effort to establish a Keystone Congress is a victory for every air-breathing, water-drinking American and a testament to the growing opposition to the pipeline. We applaud Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid for taking a stand against Big Oil and condemn the Senators who aligned themselves with the greediest, most environmentally destructive corporate interests over the farmers and landowners of the American heartland. Big Oil may have influenced the votes of some members of Congress but it will not silence the voices of the movement against this dirty, dangerous pipeline.

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Expert Contact: Ross Hammond, Senior campaigner, climate and energy program, (415) 559-5082, [email protected]
Communications Contact: Kate Colwell, Communications specialist, (202) 222-0744, [email protected]

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