Bill McKibben: Trump May Have Approved Keystone XL, But People Will Stop This Pipeline Again

I heard this interview on Democracy Now! this past week. Listening to Bill McKibben and knowing that we will rally strongly against this madness is the balm my heart and soul need in the midst of so much insanity. I keep thinking about my grandsons. And I think about all the children everywhere and other beings and all the suffering due to runaway greed and ignorance. This simply must be stopped. - Molly

The Trump administration has approved a permit allowing TransCanada to build the Keystone XL pipeline, which would transport 830,000 barrels of crude every day from Alberta’s tar sands to refineries on the U.S. Gulf Coast for export. TransCanada’s Keystone XL pipeline would cross the Yellowstone River, as well as the Ogallala Aquifer, the largest freshwater aquifer in the United States. Trump’s approval of the Keystone XL pipeline is a reversal of the Obama administration’s decision to halt the project in late 2015 following massive, sustained resistance from Native Americans, farmers, ranchers and environmental groups. For more, we speak with Bill McKibben, co-founder of 350.org and author of several books, including "Eaarth: Making a Life on a Tough New Planet."

 

JUAN GONZÁLEZ: The Trump administration has approved a permit allowing TransCanada to build the Keystone XL pipeline, which would transport 830,000 barrels of crude oil every day from Alberta’s tar sands to refineries on the U.S. Gulf Coast for export. Trump addressed reporters in the Oval Office on Friday morning.

PRESIDENT DONALD TRUMP: Today I’m pleased to announce the official approval of the presidential permit for the Keystone XL pipeline.

JUAN GONZÁLEZ: TransCanada’s Keystone XL pipeline would cross the Yellowstone River, as well as the Ogallala Aquifer, the largest freshwater aquifer in the United States. Republicans and the oil industry say the pipeline will create thousands of construction jobs and provide national energy security. However, environmentalists and scientists have long warned about the devastating impact of further fossil fuel extraction on a rapidly warming planet. 

Trump’s approval of the Keystone XL pipeline is a reversal of the Obama administration’s decision to halt the project in late 2015, following massive, sustained resistance from Native Americans, farmers, ranchers and environmental groups. In response to Trump’s decision to greenlight the project, the group 350.orgtweeted, quote, "US State Dept. may approve #KeystoneXL, but this pipeline won’t be built. People stopped it once & will again." On Friday, protesters gathered across from the Trump International Hotel in New York City and outside the White House in Washington, D.C. 

AMY GOODMAN: The pipeline is not yet a done deal. The company TransCanada still needs to secure funding, acquire local permits, stave off potential legal challenges. Meanwhile, environmental groups and community organizers say they’re gearing up for a major showdown with the Trump administration over its climate policy. Next month, protesters will gather in Washington, D.C., on March 29th [sic], for the People’s Climate—on April 29th, for the People’s Climate Mobilization, where they say they’ll push forward a vision of a clean energy economy.

For more, we’re joined by Bill McKibben by Democracy Now! video stream from his home in Vermont, co-founder of 350.org.

Bill, talk about this announcement that was made on Friday. It seemed as if, Bill, this was right at the time when Trump was going down over healthcare, was extremely angry and issued this unrelated executive order around the pipeline permit. 

 BILL McKIBBEN: Yes, it was directly in between pretending to drive a big truck and losing on healthcare. And the interesting thing was, he signed his piece of paper and then turned to the CEO of TransCanada and said, "When does construction start?" And the CEO of TransCanada looked a little abashed and said, "Well, we still have some permits to get in Nebraska," which is a great understatement. They’ve got a lot of work to do if this thing’s ever going to get built. And there are lots of people standing in their way. 

What it really underscores, Amy, is how much the world has changed in the six years since this fight began. Look, six years ago, the world’s climate scientists and others said this is a terrible idea. In the time that’s come since, the price of a solar panel has dropped in half, and we’ve had the three hottest years in human history. The plan for the Keystone pipeline, which was bad then, is preposterous now. And the only good news is that the fight against Keystone has gone on to spur thousands of other battles with other fossil fuel projects all over the world. And some of those we’re winning, some of those we’re losing. But every place—every oil well, every frack well, every coal mine, every coal port, every pipeline—they’re all being fought.

Please continue this interview here: https://www.democracynow.org/2017/3/27/bill_mckibben_trump_may_have_approved