Tell EPA Chief Lisa Jackson: Reject the State Department's Keystone XL sham

It's clear by now that there's simply no hope of the State Department issuing a legitimate evaluation of the Keystone XL pipeline.

Fortunately, there is some hope: The EPA, which is one of nine agencies that gets to weigh in on the process.

Sometime in the next week, the EPA will issue its review of the State Department's Final Environmental Impact Report.¹ Strong opposition from his own EPA will be essential if we're going to convince President Obama to reject this horrible pipeline.

Tell EPA chief Lisa Jackson: Reject the State Department's sham review of Keystone XL.

The EPA has already roundly criticized the first two drafts of the State Department's environmental impact report, in April, and again in June.³

But of course, it's not really even the State Department's review. A major New York Times article last week² exposed the massive conflict of interest that we've been telling you for weeks: that the environmental review, and local hearing process, were actually conducted by Cardno Entrix, a contracting company with major business ties to pipeline developer TransCanada.

The corrupt, biased process has glossed over the significant threats from this pipeline to American lands and waters, and the broader threat of major escalation of global warming pollution by rapidly developing and burning tar sands oil.

We're depending on the EPA to make those threats clear.

Tell EPA chief Lisa Jackson: Reject the State Department's sham review of Keystone XL.

As evidence of conflict of interest and improper relationships has grown, everyone is trying to avoid taking responsibility for this decision. President Obama has said he delegated it to the State Department. Secretary of State Clinton is sending signals she may delegate the decision to a deputy to avoid taking responsibility for it herself.⁴

Any way you slice it, the decision is really in the President's hands. However, if the State Department does approve the project, the EPA literally has the power to force a final decision by President Obama, by formally opposing the approval.

The EPA is our best chance to be the voice of sanity in the administration, and urge the president to reject the Keystone XL Pipleine.

Send a message to Lisa Jackson now, before she issues her environmental review in the coming week.

Tell EPA Chief Lisa Jackson: We're depending on you to strongly oppose the Keystone XL Pipeline!

1. "EPA to Weigh In on State Dept's Contentious Keystone Review Any Day Now," InsideClimate News, October 19, 2011
2. "Pipeline Review Is Faced With Question of Conflict," The New York times, October 7, 2011
3. "EPA: State Department Analysis Of Keystone XL Tar Sands Pipeline Oil Spill, Global Warming Risks Is 'Insufficient'," Think Progress, June 7, 2011
3. "State Department: Clinton might not personally make pipeline decision," The Hill, October 10, 2011