Come on, what the hell? What is going on here?
Dalai Lama joins opposition to Keystone pipeline
Alex Domanski/Pool/Reuters
Tibetan spiritual leader the Dalai Lama.
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Postmedia News Sep 7, 2011 – 1:34 PM ET | Last Updated: Sep 7, 2011 3:59 PM ET
By Mike De Souza and Jason Fekete
OTTAWA — The Dalai Lama, Archbishop Desmond Tutu and seven other Nobel Peace laureates have joined groups opposing the approval of a controversial pipeline expansion project that would carry more crude oil from Alberta to refineries on the Texas Gulf Coast.
In a letter released Wednesday, the nine individuals made a personal appeal to U.S. President Barack Obama to reject the project and focus instead on promoting renewable energy in order to reduce consumption of fossil fuels that contribute to greenhouse gas emissions and global warming.
“It is your decision to make,” said the letter. “The night you were nominated president, you told the world that under your leadership — and working together — the rise of the oceans will begin to slow and the planet will begin to heal. You spoke of creating a clean energy economy. This is a critical moment to make good on that pledge, and make a lasting contribution to the health and well being of everyone of this planet.”
The letter highlighted protests at the White House in recent weeks about the project that have prompted more than 1,200 arrests, including high-profile protesters such as NASA climate scientist James Hansen and actress Daryl Hannah.
“These brave individuals have spoken movingly about experiencing the power of non-violence in facing authority,” said the letter.
“They represent millions of people whose lives and livelihoods will be affected by construction and operation of the pipeline in Alberta, Montana, South Dakota, Nebraska, Kansas, Oklahoma and Texas.”
It also said the company proposing the project, TransCanada, has had problems with its existing Keystone pipeline with 14 reported leaks after only one year of operation.
But federal Natural Resources Minister Joe Oliver noted Wednesday that the U.S. State Department had not expressed concerns about environmental risks of the project in its last assessment.
“We all know the enormous economic benefit of it. I’m not taking anything for granted. We respect, of course, the decision-making process in the United States,” Mr. Oliver told reporters as he announced a new federal spending program to promote energy efficiency.
He also said that U.S. Energy Secretary Steven Chu had spoken positively about the project.
“We are increasingly optimistic about the likelihood of a presidential permit, which will be based on his analysis of the national interest,” Mr. Oliver said.
But the Nobel laureates said a major concern about the project was its link to expanded development of the oilsands sector which consumes large amounts of water and energy in its production process.
“Like you, we understand that strip-mining and drilling tarsands from under Alberta’s Boreal forests and then transporting thousands of barrels of oil a day from Canada through to Texas will not only hurt people in the U.S. — but will also endanger the entire planet,” the letter said.
“Your rejection of the pipeline provides a tremendous opportunity to begin transition away from our dependence on oil, coal and gas and instead increase investments in renewable energies and energy efficiency.”
The letter was coordinated by the Nobel Women’s Initiative, an Ottawa-based non-profit group founded in 2003 by six of the 12 women ever to win the Nobel Peace Prize. The other Nobel laureates who signed the appeal were Mairead Maguire, Betty Williams, Adolfo Perez Esquivel, Rigoberta Menchu Tum, Jose Ramos-Horta, Jody Williams and Shirin Ebadi.
“We urge you to say ‘no’ to the plan proposed by the Canadian-based company TransCanada to build the Keystone XL, and to turn your attention back to supporting renewable sources of energy and clean transportation solutions,” said the letter. “This will be your legacy to Americans and the global community: energy that sustains the lives and livelihoods of future generations.”
Alberta Energy Minister Ron Liepert, who’s in New York attending the Barclays Capital energy conference, said he’s sensing a more favourable mood among Americans toward the pipeline than earlier this year, partly due to stagnant job numbers in a battered U.S. economy.
“More Americans are recognizing how important projects like this are to America’s job situation,” Mr. Liepert said. “Some of the protestations that have drawn attention to this issue have worked in our favour.”
The Obama administration has indicated it will make a final decision on whether to approve the project before the end of 2011.
