President Obama got an invite from 18 US Senators, including Senator Johanns (R-NE), asking him for a meeting to approve the Keystone XL export pipeline. A bunch of us got together and thought if they are asking for a meeting we should too! Folks do lots of meetings in DC, so we also thought we should bring our meeting request up a notch–we are inviting the President to a “Tarsands Free Beer and Beef Summit.”

Click here for PDF of the letter sent to President Obama.

Quote from landowner who signed the letter: “As a grandmom whose land is in the path of the proposed Keystone XL Pipeline, I challenge you to meet with the Nebraska 18, ordinary citizens who do not have an “agenda” to further a political career or promote huge foreign corporations.  Please meet with those of us who care about the future of our land and water, our state and our country… a future that money and influence cannot buy.  Please meet with the citizens of the State of Nebraska who want a future for our children, our grandchildren and those yet unborn.” -Susan Dunavan

Dear President Obama,

We would like to start by thanking you for having the courage to deny TransCanada’s initial application for the Keystone XL export pipeline. We very much appreciate the fact that your concerns for the citizens of our state played into that decision.

It has come to our attention that 18 U.S. Senators have requested a meeting with you in hopes of expediting the Keystone XL export pipeline. We are confident that each one of them will have a binder full of reasons why this risky project should be hurried through without due consideration.  We also feel that this is an easy request for these folks to make because indeed, none of them would suffer the consequences of a reckless decision to approve this export foreign pipeline. As citizens of Nebraska, we don’t have the luxury of escaping the consequences of a tarsands and chemical spill in our land and water.

It is our hope President Obama, that through all of the political haze you will still recognize the fact that this project remains full of inherent risks, and it could have a profound effect on the citizens and resources of Nebraska.

It is our belief that we are major stakeholders in this project because it is our most valuable natural resources that will be placed at risk. Nebraska landowners are being forced to help subsidize this project with land that our families earned with their own sweat and determination. It is for these reasons that we feel we deserve a place at the table, and we are asking you for that opportunity.

We too are a bipartisan coalition of 18, and while none of us carry a prestigious nametag other than farmer, rancher, mom, dad, grandma, or grandpa, we too represent the concerns of a lot folks here at home. We are asking you for a meeting to help us protect our homes.

Keeping hope,

Randy Thompson, cattle buyer

Susan Luebbe, rancher

Jim Tarnick, farmer

Susan Dunavan, grandmom

Byron Steskal, rancher

Terri Harrington, farmer

Tom Genung, dad

Bruce Boettcher, rancher

Nancy Packard, grandmom

Laura Meusch, rancher

Abbi Kleinschmidt, farmer

Calvin Dobias, rancher

Art Tanderup, farmer

Mary Pipher, grandmom

Andy Prososki, rancher

Jerry Gotschall, dairy farmer

Tammy Cheatum, farmer

Karen Berry, farmer

PS: If we do get the opportunity to meet, we’d be happy to host a “Beer and Beef Summit.” We have the best water from the Sandhills that makes great beer and lots of ranchers with “tarsands free” beef.

Action:
Tweet or Email President Obama asking him to accept out invite for a “Beer and Beef Summit.”