This decision will require additional much-needed environmental review and will likely delay a decision on the pipeline for at least another year. The exciting announcement follows unprecedented opposition from tens of thousands of wildlife advocates over the past year. Advocates who have spoken out against the unacceptable risks the pipeline would pose on its route through crucial wildlife habitat.
Thousands of us concerned citizens kept up the pressure on President Obama at a rally on Sunday in Washington DC. Watch the video:
Larry Schweiger, National Wildlife Federation President and CEO said:
“This do-over is likely a lethal blow. The project won’t be able to stand the scrutiny because Americans now understand that it will increase our addiction to dirty, expensive tar sands oil for decades.
"The Keystone XL pipeline was the wrong project in the wrong place. You can change the route, but it is still the wrong project at a time when we need investments in clean energy alternatives that don’t spill, don’t pollute, and don’t run out.
“Over the last several months, a groundswell of opposition sunk this project. Not since the first Earth Day have I seen so much energy directed toward conserving the environment for our children. This is a great moment for the thousands of Americans who have stood up to this project, from town halls to the White House.”
While the fight against dirty oil is not over, today’s announcement was a critical step in protecting whooping cranes and other cherished wildlife from the next oil disaster.
