FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
October 29, 2010 

Contacts: Kristina Johnson, (415) 977-5619
Maggie Kao, (202) 675-2384

Senators Urge Clinton to Weigh Risks of Toxic Pipeline

Washington, D.C.- Eleven prominent U.S. Senators today urged Secretary of State Hillary Clinton to fully weigh the risks of a toxic tar sands oil pipeline the Canadian oil industry has proposed building into the United States. Last week, Clinton indicated that she may be leaning towards approving permits for the pipeline, which would threaten the source of fresh water for one third of American farmland. Tens of thousands of Americans across the country have urged Clinton to stop the pipeline.

Senators raising concerns include Leahy (D-VT), Burris (D-IL), Cardin (D-MD), Dodd (D-CT), Gillibrand (D-NY), Lautenberg (D-NJ), Menendez (D-NJ), Merkley (D-OR), Sanders (D-VT), Shaheen (D-NH), and Whitehouse (D-RI).

Statement of Sierra Club Dirty Fuels Campaign Director Kate Colarulli:

"Today, a group of key Senate leaders join the EPA and tens of thousands of Americans in calling on Secretary Clinton to take a hard look at this foreign oil pipeline. This massive pipeline would put American health, water, and farmland at risk. It would undermine our efforts to create good, clean, domestic energy and the jobs that come with it. It would feed wholesale destruction of ancient forest and significantly increase global warming pollution.

This pipeline would benefit foreign oil companies at the expense of Americans, period. The Sierra Club applauds these senators for standing up for America’s future.

This isn’t about deciding whether we should import dirty oil from one place or from another. This is about deciding whether we are going to embrace clean energy or let the oil industry keep its stranglehold on our economy.

America is making great strides on clean energy, and this would be a giant step back. We just won new fuel efficiency standards to lessen our dangerous dependence on oil, and now we’re talking about a project that would be like putting 6.5 million new cars on our roads.  There is nothing to like about this pipeline."

www.sierraclub.org/dirtyfuels

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