Tell Secretary Kerry to learn from the latest tar sands spill
April 2013
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Dear Friend,
Two weeks ago, an ExxonMobil pipeline carrying corrosive tar sands oil ruptured, spewing more than 150,000 gallons of toxic crude into an Arkansas suburb, forcing homeowners to evacuate. It’s just a small glimpse of what we can expect if the Keystone XL tar sands pipeline gets built. At full capacity, the Keystone XL will carry almost ten times the amount of tar sands as the pipeline that failed in Arkansas. Tell Secretary of State John Kerry that, now more than ever, he and his State Department must consider the true impacts of the Keystone XL and more tar sands development on our climate, land, air, water and communities. We’re at a critical juncture in our campaign to stop this destructive project. Last month, I alerted you that the State Department issued a draft environmental review of the Keystone XL that was little more than a whitewash. The Department is now inviting citizen comments on that flawed assessment until April 22. We must generate a record number of comments, demanding that Secretary Kerry go back to the drawing board and reveal the true environmental costs of the Keystone XL and more tar sands development. This pipeline would transport a river of the most destructive oil on the planet straight through America’s heartland to the Gulf Coast for export. It would threaten countless communities along its route with the kind of spills we witnessed in Arkansas -- and drive more climate havoc that endangers all of us. Producing tar sands oil causes far more global warming pollution than regular crude oil production -- and its chemical properties increase the likelihood of pipeline leaks and spills. Neither of those environmental threats was properly addressed in the State Department’s draft review. Tell Secretary Kerry to heed the wake-up call from Arkansas and direct his State Department to conduct a new, comprehensive review that tallies the real costs of the Keystone XL. As we move toward a clean energy future, there is no room for the dirtiest oil on the planet. A truthful environmental review will make that abundantly clear. Thank you for making your voice heard at this important moment. Sincerely,  Frances Beinecke President Natural Resources Defense Council |
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