Cohen & Blumenauer Applaud Obama Rejection of Keystone XL Pipeline

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Congressman Steve Cohen (D-TN) and Congressman Earl Blumenauer (D-OR) today applauded President Obama’s decision to reject the construction of the Keystone XL Pipeline.  Both Congressmen have actively worked to call for more scientific scrutiny of the dangerous and controversial pipeline. 

“For almost two years, I have been working to convince the State Department that their environmental review for the proposed Keystone XL pipeline was flawed and insufficient, which they finally acknowledged today,” said Congressman Cohen, who was the only member of Congress to attend an anti-Keystone rally outside the White House last year.  “I would like to commend the President for his bold leadership and dedication to protecting the environment and upholding the ideals of transparency and scientific integrity.  I would also like to commend the hundreds of thousands of Americans who stood up for clean air and water and helped convince the President that their review is insufficient.  Today is not only a victory for everyone who wants to protect the water we drink and the land we live on.  It is also a victory for democracy and for the enduring gift the Founding Fathers gave us in free speech and public participation in government.”

“I’m pleased that the President is not being intimidated by attempts to short-circuit the review process for the Keystone XL pipeline,” said Rep. Blumenauer. “This is not just any pipeline. It would carry tar sands oil, which is more polluting than conventional crude oil, from Canada’s boreal forest, through sensitive ecosystems and water supplies in the Midwest, to the Gulf Coast for refinement and likely export. Despite exaggerated jobs claims by pipeline supporters, there is no national security or economic reason to expedite approval of this project, which could be environmentally damaging and unsafe.”

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