Congressman Peter Welch of Vermont:
“President Obama and Secretary Kerry did the right thing in rejecting the Keystone XL tar sands oil pipeline. Simply put, dirty tar sands oil is especially bad for the environment. Any benefits the project might produce are far outweighed by the risks it poses to the environment, public health, and local communities through which the pipeline would pass. I am particularly pleased that the exhaustive review process mandated by law was completed in spite of efforts in Congress to short circuit it.”
U.S. Senator Kirsten Gillibrand of New York:
“President Obama made the right decision to reject the Keystone pipeline. I have long opposed this project and I am glad this export pipeline won’t be moving forward. The United States and our communities would have shouldered all the risk for this export pipeline from Canada to the Gulf of Mexico only to ship oil to our competitors in China. Instead we should be looking for opportunities that create jobs in renewable industries, foster energy independence and curb global climate change.”
U.S. Senator Bernie Sanders of Vermont:
"Climate change is a global environmental crisis of huge magnitude. It is insane for anyone to be supporting the excavation and transportation of some of the dirtiest fuel on earth. As someone who has led the opposition to the Keystone pipeline from Day 1, I strongly applaud the president’s decision to kill this project once and for all."
Sustainable Energy & Environment Coalition, including co-chair New York Congressman Paul Tonko:
“Keystone XL has never been in the national interest. Now that this question has been officially put to rest, it is time for Republicans in Congress to stop focusing on promoting dirty fossil fuels, and get serious about more pressing issues like responding to climate change and developing clean energy solutions that create good paying, permanent jobs.”
