Pipe dream blocked; Keystone XL bill fails in Senate

WASHINGTON, D.C. — Today, with a vote of 59-41, proponents of bill S. 2280 were unable to get the 60 votes necessary to pass a bill by Senators Mary Landrieu (D-La.) and John Hoeven (R-N.D.) that would bypass presidential authority and approve the Keystone XL pipeline. This is the third Keystone XL pipeline bill that failed to pass the Senate.

Friend of the Earth Action’s President Erich Pica issued the following statement on the decision:

Sen. Mary Landrieu (D-La.) has entered into a cynical contest to stamp her name on a project that spells climate disaster in order to show allegiance to her oil backers. She is bought and sold by the oil industry that spent millions of dollars in 2014 to remove her chairwomanship.

By taking her last stand on a pipeline that does not even enter Louisiana, Sen. Landrieu has sardonically chosen oil company profits over the people of her state. Sen. Landrieu’s dominance of energy issues within the Senate Democratic caucus would ensure six more years of legislative inaction on climate change — six years the American people cannot afford.

Approving Keystone could undermine the climate momentum created by President Obama’s bilateral announcement with China. Helping the expansion of the tar sands industry would signal that our climate commitment is sinking as quickly as Sen. Landrieu’s state. The decision to reject the Keystone XL pipeline still rests with President Obama and we need him to reject this pipeline once and for all.

###

Expert Contact: Luísa Abbott Galvão, (202) 222-0716, [email protected]
Communications Contact: EA Dyson, (202) 222-0730, [email protected]