Protesters to Obama: Reject Keystone XL and Act on Climate Change

Within two weeks of President Obama's re-election, protesters gathered outside the White House to call on the president to reject the Keystone XL pipeline and to act on climate change.

The Keystone Pipeline was announced in 2005 and became operational in 2010 - transporting crude oil from Alberta, Canada, to Illinois, United States. The Keystone XL extension was then announced in 2008, which would extend the pipeline from Alberta throughout the country to the Gulf of Mexico.

The US State Department announced last year that they would wait until after the 2012 election to make a decision of whether or not to go through with the controversial project. Obama decided to put the project on hold because its construction would harm an environmentally sensitive area in Nebraska. However, for this reason, the company behind the pipeline - TransCanada - changed the route to avoid the area. Due to the new proposed route, proponents and activists alike believe that the president may now accept the project.

The protestors gathered in hope that Obama will hear their call to reject the presidential permit required for the pipeline to cross from Canada into the US. They are hoping that his acceptance speech promise to address climate change means that he will reject the pipeline.

Several environmental groups, citizens, and politicians have raised concerns about the potential adverse impacts of the Keystone XL extension. For example, there is the possibility of water and soil contamination from the 500,000 to 700,000 barrels of crude oil that would be transported via the pipeline daily. Several wildlife habitats and migratory bird routes may be affected. Several citizens may be forced to move from their homes as their land is taken for the project, requiring assistance of an eminent domain lawyer. And of course, it cannot be failed to mention that promoting fossil fuel based projects can increase green house gas emissions and climate change.

Bill McKidden, the founder of 350.org, helped organize the protest. He said that the protest was to remind the president and the administration of the activist's commitment to preventing the Keystone XL pipeline from happening. The State Department, however, does not anticipate finishing its review of the Keystone XL project before the first quarter of 2013.