CCAN delivers over 19,000 Keystone XL petitions to Warner and Webb

A dozen Richmond volunteers delivered thousands of Virginia petitions against the Keystone XL pipeline to Senator Warner

Starting at noon on February 13th, over 800,000 people across the U.S. signed a petition urging Congress to stop the Keystone XL Tar Sands pipeline – 800,000! Equally impressive, Virginians made up over 19,000 of those signatures. All in just 24 hours. And today a dozen volunteers delivered that message loud and clear to Senators Warner and Webb.

The 24-hour action was set in motion after organizers gained intel that members of Congress in the pocket of the fossil fuel lobby were trying to force through approval of the pipeline through amendments to unrelated bills. Late last Thursday, we learned even more sudden news that a vote could be imminent – as soon as this Tuesday or Wednesday – on an amendment to a federal transportation bill.

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Tar Sands Action: My arrest story

It’s taken me a little bit to process the Tar Sands Action. Ok I’ve been busy. But I wanted to share my arrest story with fellow Power Shifters, especially leading up to the big October 7th action. We are still fighting.

I never thought I’d get arrested. I’m committed 100% to this cause and plan to work on these issues for the rest of my life. But I wasn’t convinced this was my role until the action began and I realized that this one felt different.

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MD Rep. Van Hollen Calls for President Obama's “Closer Scrutiny” of Proposed Keystone XL Tar Sands Oil Pipeline

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Jamie Nolan, 410-463-9869, jamie@chesapeakeclimate.org

WASHINGTON, DC — Mike Tidwell, Director of the Chesapeake Climate Action Network (CCAN), today praised a letter sent by Maryland Congressman Chris Van Hollen to President Obama concerning the Keystone XL tar sands oil pipeline. Van Hollen, a noted environmental defender, is currently ranking member on the House Budget Committee and a member of the Joint Select Committee on Deficit Reduction.

“Congressman Van Hollen’s leadership on the Keystone XL pipeline issue is welcome and appreciated,” Tidwell said. “His letter today to the White House raises key concerns involving increased greenhouse gas emissions, pipeline safety and public health impacts. CCAN urges President Obama to take Van Hollen’s letter seriously.”

In the letter, Van Hollen writes about the need for “closer scrutiny before any final national interest determination on the project is made.” While the State Department has issued its own Environmental Impact Statement, Van Hollen notes that eight executive branch agencies – including the Environmental Protection Agency — must still “review and comment” before a final determination can be made.

Concern over the Keystone XL oil pipeline has been growing rapidly over the last month, galvanized by the arrests of 1,252 people at the White House between August 20 – September 3. Learn more at www.tarsandsaction.org.

Read Rep. Van Hollen’s letter to President Obama here.

The Chesapeake Climate Action Network (CCAN) is the first grassroots, nonprofit organization dedicated exclusively to fighting global warming in Maryland, Virginia, and Washington, D.C. Our mission is to build and mobilize a powerful grassroots movement in this unique region that surrounds our nation’s capital to call for state, national and international policies that will put us on a path to climate stability. Learn more at www.chesapeakeclimate.org.

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Saying "NO" to the tar sands

WAMU

Commentary by Mike Tidwell

I went to the White House and got arrested last week because I don’t like hurricanes — and I really didn’t like Irene. The storm knocked out power to my Takoma Park home from Sunday to Monday and it took off the top of my chimney.

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