According to a Buzzfeed report, VP Joe Biden told an environmental activist in South Carolina that he opposes KXL, TransCanada’s Keystone XL Pipeline, but in the Obama administration, he’s in the minority. Biden made the remark at Rep. Jim Clyburn’s annual ‘World Famous Fish Fry’ Friday evening, where he met Elaine Cooper, a Columbia resident [...]
Tag Archives | Tar Sands
Keystone XL: EPA Challenges State Dept. Impact Statement
The State Department’s draft environmental impact statement regarding TransCanada’s Keystone XL is challenged by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). EcoWatch reports that the EPA based its challenge to State’s environmental impact statement, … objecting to its conclusion that the Keystone XL presents no significant climate change impact or environment risk. This criticism raises an important [...]
Keystone and Pegasus: Not in My Backyard or Water [VIDEO]
Understandably, no one wants the contents of an oil spill in their backyard, including in their water supply. But of course, even when there’s a local win, and a petroleum pipeline, for example, is denied construction in one community’s “backyard,” it’s likely going to be relocated into the backyard of someone else. One key factor [...]
Obama Says Environmental Politics Are “Tough,” But a Backyard Covered in Crude Oil is Tougher
President Obama told a group of California donors that the politics of the environment “are tough.” No doubt. But I’ll bet if your backyard was covered in crude oil, that would be even “tougher.” The photo is of such a backyard in Mayflower, Arkansas, the result of break in the Exxon Pegasus Pipeline. The NY [...]
Why Obama Can Safely Support KXL: PEW Poll Shows Broad Public Support (VIDEO)
It would be more accurate to talk about why Obama, and Electeds at every level, can very frequently and very safely support Big Petroleum in general, but at this moment, the focus is largely on TransCanada’s Keystone Pipeline. It will carry “tar sands” petroleum from Canada to the Texas Gulf coast. Yesterday PEW released a [...]
Another Tar Sands Spill
This time the spill was from the Exxon/Mobile Pegasus Pipeline, carrying heavy crude from the Canadian tar sands region. It occurred last Friday in Mayflower, Arkansas (about 20 miles north of Little Rock). On March 27, it was a train operated by Canadian Pacific Railway, which derailed near Parkers Prairie, Minnesota (about 150 miles northwest [...]
State Dept. Late Friday Draft Release Clears Keystone XL Pipeline Construction
“You know the news is bad when it comes out at 4 PM on Friday.” – Michael Brune, Sierra Club The Supplemental Environmental Impact Statement (SEIS) for the Keystone XL pipeline’s route was released just a few weeks after about 35,000 people gathered in DC to urge the project not be built, and after several [...]
TOP STORY — Amb. Susan Rice Removes her Name from Consideration for Top Diplomat [Obama's Full Statement - Video]
Visit NBCNews.com for breaking news, world news, and news about the economy “If nominated, I am now convinced that the confirmation process would be lengthy, disruptive and costly – to you and to our most pressing national and international priorities,” Rice wrote in a letter to President Obama, saying she’s saddened by the partisan politics [...]
‘Sham’ Climate Summit Ends: No New CO2 Cuts, No New Funding
This isn’t a surprise, but it’s certainly yet another indication of government priorities related to climate change. There are, of course, exceptions. But in general, and with the U.S. firmly in the “general,” not the “exception” category, postpone, delay, and keep the petroleum industries happy are key. Via TruthOut: (emphasis added throughout post) The United [...]
Theatre of the ‘Grim’ and ‘Absurd’: NOAA’s Arctic Report Card and UN Climate Change Conference
The “grim” grade to NOAA’s Arctic Report is given by Julia Whitty, writing at Mother Jones. You can see the NOAA report here. From Mother Jones: (emphasis added) NOAA published its seventh annual Arctic Report Card this week and though they didn’t hand out a grade as they have in the past it might as [...]
Reports That Sec. of State Candidate Rice ‘Has a Major Financial Stake in Canadian Tar Sands’
Writing at On Earth, Scott Dodd’s Secretary of State Candidate Has a Major Financial Stake in Canadian Tar Sands has introduced an environmental / energy factor into the conversations about Susan Rice. There’s another possible consideration involved: a potential conflict of interest. Susan Rice, the candidate believed to be favored by President Obama to become [...]
It’s Not Nice to Fool Mother Nature, or Ignore Global Warming
Joyce L. Arnold, Liberally Independent, Queer Talk, equality activist, writer. If you’re of the right age, you’ll remember this commercial, by Chiffon Margarine. “It not nice to fool Mother Nature” ads ran from 1971 to 1979. I’m certainly not the first person who has thought about these popular-at-the-time ads as related (at least in some [...]
There is No Planet B: Keystone, Petroleum Industry and 2012 Elections
Joyce L. Arnold, Liberally Independent, Queer Talk, equality activist, writer. Shhhhh. Don’t talk about climate change; omit references to greenhouse gas emissions. That’s the Democratic response. From the Republican side of things, it’s totally cool to talk about it, in a derogatory, dismissive sort of way. Following months of protests regarding the Keystone / Tar [...]
Occupy and “isms,” banks and unions
Joyce L. Arnold, Liberally Independent, Queer Talk, equality activist, writer. This is stating the obvious, but I, at least, need “obvious” reminders periodically. The Occupy movement is made up of people. And any time you have even a few people, much less hundreds or thousands gathered, especially in public spaces, there will frequently be some [...]
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