...Obama Sends Keystone XL Back to State for Review, McKibben Calls This “A Very Important Day”

[ProSense]

Stunning Triumph for 99%: Obama Sends Keystone XL Back to State for Review, McKibben Calls This “A Very Important Day”

By Joe Romm

Big news: We won. You won.

That’s Bill McKibben’s headline at Tar Sands Action (full statement below).

In a stunning reversal of a “done deal,” the Obama administration has sent the Keystone XL tar sands pipeline back to review at the State Department:

… the Department has determined it is necessary to examine in-depth alternative routes that would avoid the Sand Hills in Nebraska in order to move forward with a National Interest Determination for the Presidential Permit.

<...>

Yes, Obama has punted this until after the election, but don’t undersell what just happened. Bill McKibben is the man most responsible for leading the charge to kill the pipeline, and as he wrote me, “a done deal has come spectacularly undone.” He added:

The people spoke very loudly, and thankfully the president appears to have heard them. We have had few enough even partial victories on climate change in Washington. That makes this a very important day.

more

Edited to add this from the Sierra Club: Send a Message of Thanks to President Obama!

[Pirate Smile]

1. I posted the info you posted here into the Political Video thread with Robert Redford's thank you.

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=385x633806

I thought it helped answer some questions people asked. I credited you.

Thanks!

[yardwork]

2. I'm very pleased with Obama about this. Best thing he's done imo.

[MannyGoldstein]

3. Call to not slash Social Security, Medicare and Medicaid coming next?

A boy can dream...

[ProSense]

4. No

"Call to not slash Social Security, Medicare and Medicaid coming next?"

...one seems to care about any such announcements.

The plan also notably would not reduce Social Security benefits by using a less generous measure of inflation to calculate cost of living adjustments — a proposal some Democrats have supported in the past.

[jenmito]

5. K&R for those who must've missed it. n/t

[jenmito]

6. Your link from the Sierra Club didn't work. Here's one that works:

https://secure2.convio.net/sierra/site/Advocacy?cmd=display&page=UserAction&id=7375&autologin=true&s_src=211LBOUN01&JServSessionIdr004=cky4nllby1.app220a

[gateley]

8. Thank you -- we need to DELUGE the WH and let him know

of our support! :hi:

[jenmito]

9. You're welcome-and you're right.

We should ALL be writing to them to thank them-especially the constant critics who are ignoring this thread.

[gateley]

11. Agree. nt

[gateley]

7. Self delete. Should have read the other posts before I jumped in. Recommend! nt

[flamingdem]

10. Good news

no reason to fall into a trap on this issue

[AtomicKitten]

12. The review process was tainted. Obama is ordering another review of the environmental impact.

http://dirtyoilsands.org/news/article/hillarys_legacy_rests_on_fixing_tainted_pipeline_approval_process

original article from Salon: http://www.salon.com/2011/10/19/hillarys_legacy_rests_on_fixing_tainted_pipeline_approval_process/

The State Department standard response to this kind of accusation has been: “We meet with everyone, including environmental groups.” Clinton herself says the department remains in “listen and outreach mode” as it prepares to make a decision.

But the New York Times put the lie to this official cover earlier this month, when they revealed just how deeply compromised the State Department actually was. The State Department — and read this carefully, because it’s almost beyond belief — asked TransCanada who they would like to have conduct the “independent” pipeline review. TransCanada submitted the name of three firms, and State helpfully chose the first one on the list: Entrix Corporation. If you head over to their web site, you’ll find that TransCanada is listed as one of the company’s “major clients.”

The Times called this “flouting the intent of a federal law.” You could say it was like hiring Fox Associates for a security study of Henhouse Inc. It’s hard to imagine even the Bush administration doing anything quite this blatant — it makes a complete and utter mockery of the idea of independent review.