FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: September 4, 2019
Democratic Presidential Candidates Sign “NoKXL Pledge” to Stop the Keystone XL Pipeline on Day One if Elected
As candidates gear up for CNN and MSNBC Climate Forums, activists push for clarity on fossil fuel infrastructure
Hastings, NE — After delivering a letter asking all of the 2020 Democratic presidential candidates to sign the “NoKXL Pledge” on Aug. 13, so far ten of the candidates have signed onto the pledge — Sen. Elizabeth Warren, Gov. Jay Inslee (no longer in the race), Sen. Bernie Sanders, Tom Steyer, Sec. Julian Castro, Mayor Bill de Blasio, Sen. Cory Booker, Mayor Pete Buttigieg, and Sen. Kamala Harris — making it clear that on Day One in office they will revoke the unprecedented, unilateral permit that President Trump issued for the controversial Keystone XL pipeline.
Over the years, Democratic candidates and elected officials have made it clear that there is a link between building new fossil fuel infrastructure and climate change. Before the Keystone XL fight, even the Democratic Party supported building more pipelines, without regard to how this infrastructure locks us into additional decades of fossil fuel dependence and worsens climate change.
The #NoKXL Pledge is backed by a coalition of farmers, ranchers, Tribal Nations and environmental groups that have been fighting the proposed Keystone XL tarsands export pipeline for 10 years.
The #NoKXL Pledge specifically urges the Democratic presidential candidates to pledge to:
+ Immediately revoke the unilateral permits issued by President Trump for the Keystone XL and Dakota Access pipelines;
+ Direct all federal agencies (State Department, FERC, Army Corps) to submit these two projects — as well as all new energy infrastructure projects — to a true climate test;
+ Reject any project that will exacerbate our climate crisis; and
+ Protect property rights from eminent domain abuse and honor U.S. treaties with sovereign Tribal Nations.
View letter to Democratic candidates urging them to take the ‘NoKXL Pledge’:
https://boldnebraska.org/letter-urges-democratic-candidates-to-take-nokxl-pledge-to-stop-the-keystone-xl-pipeline-on-day-one-if-elected-president/
Online petition urging candidates to sign the NoKXL Pledge:
https://boldnebraska.org/nokxlpledge
“NoKXL Pledge” Coalition Co-Sponsors:
Bold Nebraska & Bold Alliance
Nebraska Easement Action Team
Ponca Tribe of Nebraska
Winnebago Tribe of Nebraska
Indigenous Environmental Network
350.org Action
Greenpeace USA
Sunrise Movement
CREDO
Oil Change U.S.
Friends of the Earth Action
Center for Biological Diversity Action Fund
Climate Hawks Vote
Chesapeake Climate Action Network
Progressive Democrats of America
NYC Grassroots Alliance
Earth Action
Bucks Environmental Network
Greenbelt Climate Action Network
Anthropocene Alliance
New York Climate Action Group
Coalition Against the Rockaway Pipeline
Coalition Against the Pilgrim Pipeline
Seeding Sovereignty
MN 350
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