BRATTLEBORO — Local climate activists joined in a protest vigil on Feb. 3 calling on President Obama to reject the controversial Keystone XL pipeline following the release last week of the U.S. State Department's Final Supplemental Environmental Impact Statement.
The candlelight vigil at the Wells Fountain was organized by Post Oil Solutions as part of a national campaign led by CREDO, Rainforest Action Network, the Sierra Club, and 350.org, among others, calling on the president to keep his commitment to reduce carbon pollution and reject the pipeline.
Post Oil Solutions founding director Tim Stevenson said Monday's vigil, which was attended by about 20 people, is the start of several events and actions that his organization plans to hold in the coming weeks as debate picks up over the pipeline.
Stevenson, citing one plan taking shape to build a gas pipeline in Addison County, and another that could see the Portland-Montreal oil pipeline carry toxic tar sands oil, warned Windham County can't sit this fight out.
The Portland-Montreal oil pipeline passes through northeast Vermont.
“Even though these pipelines aren't going though our backyards, it is important for the people of Windham County to both be aware of what is happening to our northern neighbors as well as act in solidarity with their efforts to resist these incursions by Big Oil,” he said.
Stevenson also called on area residents to press their lawmakers to support legislation that would divest the state's retirement funds of investments in fossil fuels.
The proposed Keystone XL pipeline, to be built by Canadian energy giant TransCanada, would extend from Alberta to Texas and carry 800,000 barrels of tar sands crude oil daily from Canada to U.S. refineries.
On Jan. 31, the State Department released a report that stated that production of Canadian tar sands crude, which has a bigger greenhouse gas footprint than other types of oil, is unlikely to be increased should the Keystone XL pipeline proceed - and therefore would do little to contribute to climate change.
At the same time, the report concluded that Keystone XL would have little impact on fuel prices in the United States, nor would it have a significant long-term impact on the U.S. economy.
Critics say that this report was designed to provide political cover for President Obama to approve Keystone XL. Because the pipeline involves both the United States and Canada, it requires a presidential permit to move forward.
Other Vermont vigils were held on Feb. 3 in Burlington, Rutland, Stratford, and St. Johnsbury. According to 350.org, there were also 276 other vigils in 44 states.