On behalf of the Natural Resources Council of Maine, I want to express our deep appreciation for Senator Angus King’s vital vote that blocked legislation that would have allowed construction of the Keystone XL tar sands pipeline. The pipeline would let Canadian companies pump toxic tar sands oil from Alberta, Canada, to the U.S. Gulf Coast, where it would be shipped abroad.
Tar sands is the world’s most polluting oil, and burning this Canadian mother lode of tar sands oil would be “ game over” for our climate, according to NASA’s former chief climate scientist, James Hansen. This pipeline would have no positive effect on our gas prices or energy independence, and could slow much-needed progress on the dependable clean energy sources that we need to be building instead.
King has repeatedly demonstrated his understanding of and concerns about unchecked climate change. We are also pleased that Senator King has spoken out in favor of the EPA’s Clean Power Plan, which sets limits on climate-disrupting carbon emissions from power plants.
Thank you Senator King for working to protect Maine’s economy and way of life from the dangers of climate disruption and for understanding the enormous opportunities for Maine as we build on our homegrown clean and efficient clean energy sources.
—Lisa Pohlmann, NRCM Executive Director
Originally printed in the November 22, 2014 edition of the Bangor Daily News
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