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Barlow asks President Obama to reject Upland pipeline


Maude Barlow, White House NO Tar Sands

Barlow speaks outside the White House, November 2011.

Council of Canadians chairperson Maude Barlow has written US President Barack Obama to ask that he oppose TransCanada’s proposed Upland pipeline.

The Calgary-based company announced its plan to build the 460 kilometre pipeline this past Friday. It is intended to ship 70,000 barrels per day of oil from North Dakota to join with the 1.1 million barrels per day Energy East pipeline in Saskatchewan.

In that the pipeline would cross the Canada-US border, it requires the approval of the US State Department and ultimately the US president. Barlow writes, “Just as we believe you will do the right thing and veto Keystone XL later this month, we trust you will also reject the Upland pipeline.”

Barlow also highlights that she expects the Harper government and TransCanada to intensively lobby for the Upland pipeline, just as they have done for Keystone XL. She asks him to assess Upland on the same basis as Keystone XL, that is to say evaluating its impact on the climate and whether or not it is in the national interest. She contends the pipeline would harm the climate and therefore could not be in the national interest. She adds, “Canadians stand with the millions of Americans who want a just transition to a sustainable energy future for all.”

And highlighting President Obama’s concerns about the Keystone XL pipeline, Barlow concludes, “Your legacy could be one of helping the planet step back from the precipice of catastrophic climate change. We ask that you again exercise caution and good judgement and reject the Upland pipeline.”

To read Barlow’s letter to President Obama, please click here.