Keystone XL protests in Texas included a mix of tea party supporters, independents, Democrats, Republicans and even Occupy Dallas protesters.
by Rocky Kistner, reposted from NRDC’s Switchboard
As Congressional Republicans and Big Oil allies allies in Washington try to resuscitate the massive Keystone XL tar sands pipeline, people on the frontlines have opened a new campaign to stop the massive $7 billion project. In Texas, landowners are locking arms to fight would-be pipeline builder TransCanada over eminent domain cases that may determine where the 1700-mile project will be built.
On Friday, protesters gathered in Paris, TX, and in Austin to voice their support for Lamar County farm manager Julia Trigg Crawford, who runs a 600-acre farms that grows corn, soybeans and wheat along the Red River near Paris, TX. More than 50 protesters traveled from nearby counties to wave flags and signs on the Lamar County courthouse steps, shouting slogans like “Don’t mess with Texas” and “This is what democracy looks like.”
Check out this video of the protest and interview with Julia Trigg Crawford:
The raucous protest included an unusual mix of tea party supporters, independents, Democrats, Republicans and even Occupy Dallas protesters. They were all there to support Crawford’s eminent domain court fight with TransCanada, which wants to run the Keystone XL pipeline through her property.
David Daniel, a landowner near Winnsboro, TX, has been fighting TransCanada for four years over their plans to run the pipeline though his wooded, spring-fed land near Winnsboro, TX. Daniel says he learned about the plan only after the company had already come on to his land and staked out its pipeline route, a route he says will threaten natural springs that communities depend on for drinking water.
“The more people find out about the safety risks and that the oil will be exported, the more they are opposed. People in Texas are used to oil pipelines, but this one is different. It’s more toxic and more dangerous and threatens our groundwater. A lot of people feel they’ve been lied to.”
Daniel, who helps run a Keystone XL pipeline opposition group called Stop Tarsands Oil Pipelines, says local landowners are not going to give up, even though they are vastly outspend by TransCanada and its oil industry supporters.
From the looks of those who attended the rally on Friday, TransCanada has a big fight ahead with some angry folks in the Lone Star state. You don’t mess with Texas without getting one.
– Rocky Kistner is a communications associate with the Natural Resources Defense Council. This piece was originally published at NRDC’s Switchboard.
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“The more people find out about the safety risks and that the oil will be exported, the more they are opposed.”
EXPORTED!
It’s not “energy for American needs” it’s OIL for Big Oil profits and as far as they’re concerned America can get screwed.
Either they reserve 100% of that oil for our use or NOTHING.
It AIN’T WORTH IT.
Let’s open our eyes and check around for a few things. Starting with: Misconception No. 1 – Most American spend their money on Made in China. False – 2.7% of American consumption goes to China. 88.5% of American consumption goes to American made goods and services. Misconception No. 2 – We owe most of our debt to China. False – China owns 7.6% of outstanding U.S. debt. Misconception No. 3 – America gets most of it’s oil from the Middle East. False – Just 9.8% of oil consumed comes from the Middle East. Then look at Big Oil and Big Gas advertising the Keystone XL pipeline. Americans are not stupid, but repeated advertising by the big “Personhood” corporations have already started anti-Obama depictions. Then consider people have already lost some of their farms through “Eminent Domain” and other means for the pipeline, which hasn’t been approved by the president. Then take into consideration the TEA-GOP-Republican House making efforts to remove the president’s authority to make this decision over objections of clean air, ground and water organizations. Why? Because the TEA-GOP-Republican membership discount Global Warming or call it a myth. Much of what is finished product is shipped overseas or neighbor countries at a profit, creating false inventories. Further, some production units have been taken off-line for maintenance and upgrading adding to the inventory shortage. There’s even the excuse that they must change the formulation for the different seasons. Do your own research and make your own deductions. The average Joe cannot expense these new costs, but the big corporations and business’ can. Oil from the Middle East plays a very small role in the US economy, but ask the power brokers of the Oil Giants, and they will smoke you with lies and falsehoods.
Green tea alliance
“David Daniel, a landowner near Winnsboro, TX, has been fighting TransCanada for four years over their plans to run the pipeline though his wooded, spring-fed land near Winnsboro, TX. Daniel says he learned about the plan only after the company had already come on to his land and staked out its pipeline route, a route he says will threaten natural springs that communities depend on for drinking water.”
Sounds to me like that could be trespass on the part of the TransCanada workers or contractors — depending of course on whether Mr. Daniel has his land posted. If he does, to paraphrase the late Clifford Simak, “He could jerk [them] up in court for that.”