TransCanada on Monday asked the U.S. State Department to “pause” its review of the foreign company’s cross-border federal permit to build the Keystone XL pipeline.

BACKGROUND:

• The State Department does NOT have to grant TransCanada’s request for a “pause.” Just because TransCanada has requested a pause, it does not mean the State Department must give them a pause.
• TransCanada wants to add multiple years in the process and they are doing this for one reason —TransCanada hopes a Republican wins the 2016 Presidential election, because all Democratic contenders are on record saying they would deny the pipeline while several GOP candidates are on record saying they would approve it.
• TransCanada is facing a loss, they know it. So this is their last chance to try and save their project.
• President Obama can reject the pipeline now. He does not have to grant a pause. The project is bad for our land, water and climate no matter the route in Nebraska.

QUOTE:

“The route in Nebraska has been uncertain for years, the only difference now is TransCanada knows they are about to have their permit rejected so they are scrambling. Pres. Obama can end all of this uncertainty with a stroke a pen. It is time to reject and give farmers, ranchers and Tribal Nations peace of mind that their land and water is protected from this risky pipeline.”
—Jane Kleeb, Bold Nebraska

For Immediate Release: November 2, 2015
Contact: Jane Kleeb, 402-705-3622, jane@boldnebraska.org

Sensing an Imminent Loss, Desperate TransCanada
Asks for a Time Out on Keystone XL

Landowners, Tribal and Environmental Advocates Urge
Pres. Obama for Full Rejection — No Pause.

Recognizing that President Obama’s rejection of the proposed Keystone XL tar sands pipeline is inevitable, TransCanada requested tonight that the State Department pause its review of the pipeline, citing the uncertain status of the route in Nebraska.

Given that the route in Nebraska has long been uncertain, it is obvious that this is simply a desperate attempt to run out the clock on Obama’s presidency in hopes that a Republican might take the White House in 2016.

It is important to note that neither the State Department nor President Obama is in any way obligated to grant TransCanada the pause they are requesting. President Obama has long had all the information he needs to reject the pipeline on the grounds that it would unleash reckless expansion of the dirtiest fuel source on the planet and be a disaster for the climate.

Moreover, communities along the pipeline route have spent the last six years of their lives with the threat of a tar sands pipeline running through their land hanging over their heads. It is long past time for President Obama to kill this project once and for all, and rather than put them through two more years of uncertainty, he should do so immediately.

“TransCanada sees the writing on the wall, and is trying to suspend the permit process for the Keystone XL pipeline in hopes that the next president will not make a decision based on climate science,” said Michael Brune, Executive Director of the Sierra Club. “President Obama has all the evidence he needs to reject Keystone XL now, and we are confident that he will.”

“The route in Nebraska has been uncertain for years, the only difference now is TransCanada knows they are about to have their permit rejected so they are scrambling, said Jane Kleeb, Director of Bold Nebraska. “President Obama can end all of this uncertainty with a stroke a pen. It is time to reject and give farmers, ranchers and Tribal Nations peace of mind that their land and water is protected from this risky pipeline.”

Stephen Kretzmann, Executive Director of Oil Change International, said, “TransCanada is losing and everyone – including them – knows it. When you’re losing in the final seconds you commit a bunch of fouls and call all your timeouts. That’s exactly what TransCanada is doing here. President Obama should recognize desperation when he sees it and reject Keystone XL. Blow the whistle today and end this game.”

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