Tell President Obama, Secretary John Kerry, Nebraska Gov. Dave Heineman and TransCanada: No tarsands near freshwater — stop Keystone XL. Click here to add your name to the petition.

After the recent disastrous tarsands spill in Arkansas, that state is taking action by asking Exxon to move its pipeline away from Arkansas’ water supply. Nebraskans stand with Arkansans, and ask President Obama to deny approval for Keystone XL — so we do not have to plead with TransCanada to do the basics of protecting our water.

Nebraskans are circulating a petition to Pres. Obama, Nebraska Gov. Heineman, Secretary of State John Kerry and TransCanada to stop the proposed Keystone XL pipeline, whose route still crosses the Ogallala Aquifer — one of the country’s largest sources of freshwater that provides irrigation and drinking water to millions of Americans. The pipeline route also still crosses the fragile Sandhills, family water wells and major rivers that provide water to families, farms and ranches.

A study by University of Nebraska-Lincoln environmental engineer John S. Stansbury found that the Keystone XL tarsands pipeline will see a projected 91 major spills over the 50-year life of the pipeline.¹ Given the unique chemical makeup of tarsands, which causes the dilbit material to sink in water, and benzene plumes to travel for miles, these spills are particularly difficult to clean up and have long-lasting environmental impacts — as witnessed by the tarsands spill in the Kalamazoo River that 3 years later and almost $1 billion spent is still not cleaned up.²

   
Governor Heineman went back on his word to protect our water and property rights, so our last hope is that President Obama and Sec. Kerry will protect our homes and families. In a 2011 letter to the President, Nebraska Governor Dave Heineman expressed his concern for the safety of the state’s water supply:

Though the route has undergone some minor adjustments, it still passes through the Ogallala Aquifer with just as many miles and risks. While the original route crossed 90 miles of the Sandhills, the “re-route” still crosses 70 miles of the fragile soil. This new route in Nebraska is nothing more than Gov. Heineman giving political cover to TransCanada, by shrinking the Sandhills and apparently erasing the Aquifer from his memory.

All petition signatures will be submitted to the following officials:

• President Obama: can deny pipeline with the stroke of a pen
• Governor Heineman: can require that TransCanada really avoid Sandhills and Aquifer
• Sec. Kerry: can conduct valid water and spill analysis, and report that this pipeline is too risky and not in our national interest
• TransCanada CEO Russ Girling: can realize this is a risky business move and abandon KXL
  

Take a stand against dirty tarsands and protect our freshwater. Click the link to sign the petition: http://www.signon.org/sign/nebraskans-join-arkansans