Greetings Climate Mamas and Papas, I hope you will join me and 100’s of thousands of other Americans from around the country and call on our 
Senators to reject yet another attempt to force an untimely decision on the Keystone XL pipeline, which would carry Alberta Tar Sands oil from Northern Alberta to refineries on the US Gulf Coast. Where this oil would subsequently be sold, remains uncertain, as does the true economic benefit of this pipeline to the American people. For regular visitors to Climate Mama, this has been a “David and Goliath” battle that we at Climate Mama have been intimately involved with, so we certainly have an opinion.
As you can imagine, we are deeply concerned with the long term climate impacts of accessing this unconventional oil, of continuing our addiction to fossil fuels and the impact that scientists tell us that the Alberta Tar Sands will have, in putting us on the precipice of runaway climate change disaster.
In the immediate, however as a parent, and a citizen, I am appalled that our political system, which was carefully put in place by the founders of our country, is now being used to tell lies, circumvent the lines of authority that have been put in place to protect the American people, and the misplaced urgency and fear that has been generated, to what seems to me, to protect the interests and profits of big oil companies.
Here is my Valentine letter to my Senators:
Dear Sirs,
Please reject this latest attempt to tie a Transportation bill to the building of the Keystone Xl pipeline. This is the second attempt in as many months to tie the building of this pipeline to an unrelated bill (in December it was a tax bill). I love my children, and work hard to protect them, keep them safe, and teach them right from wrong. I see only “wrong” in your seemingly rushed decision to circumvent the measured advice of our government and independent experts studying the Keystone XL pipeline, who have asked for time to properly consider the economic and environmental impacts of this project. There are too many conflicting views and misinformation circulating, you need to show us that you have the interests of the American people at heart, and that you will not be forced into take a decision on this project until the following questions, which remain very controversial, can be thoughtfully answered:
1. How many jobs, both permanent and full time does this project really create: 50-6,000, or upward of 100,000?
2. What are the short term and long term economic benefits and costs of this project, which has price tags of upwards of $7 billion and less then $3 billion attached, with questionable information regarding where the actual pipe will be made and where the most of the money allocated for this pipeline will be spent: Canada, China, the US?
3. What are the environmental costs of this, both to the land and areas that the pipeline will pass through?
4. What are the long-term implications of continued investment and support of the fossil fuel industry, as opposed to investing in retraining pipeline workers and journeymen to participate in an energy future that is focused on the creation of American renewable energy generation and transmission?
Be bold. Think outside the box. And please, don’t feel pressured to make short-term decisions that will have long-term negative consequences on our economy, our health and our environment.
Yours,
Climate Mama
To contact your senator today: Use this link from 350.org, this link from CREDO , or this link from The Climate Reality Project. Over 25 national environmental organizations have teamed up on this campaign!
For all those you love, make this a part of your Valentines message this year…
