Keystone pipeline leak: Oil lobby donations trump environmental concerns
Keystone pipeline leaks 14,000 barrels of oil into creek in biggest spill yet – The Guardian
The Keystone Pipeline ruptured near a creek in northern Kansas, spilling about 14,000 barrels of oil or 588,000 gallons. An Olympic swimming pool holds about 666,000 gallons. This is the largest land-based crude pipeline spill in the U.S. in nine years. Although the Keystone Pipeline has leaked 22 times before this, this week’s spill is bigger than all the others put together.
Republicans made extension of the Keystone XL Pipeline a symbol of what they considered an antigrowth attack on U.S. energy production by Democrats. – Letters From An American
Why do Republicans insist on more pipelines despite repeated environmental disasters? Where else have oil spills occurred? Who operates these pipelines? How much do they spend in political donations? Which groups are fighting to protect the environment? Start by following the money.
Oil lobby political donations trump environmental concerns
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Controversial pipeline
- Lakotas pointed to the potential of oil spills to destroy their water supply and the destruction of their sacred lands.
- One of the first things Trump did was to speed up approval of the pipeline in 2017.
- Biden revoked the permit for the pipeline construction.
- TC Energy halted the project.
- Republicans blamed Biden for killing the construction of the XL extension. – Letters From An American
President Biden cancels permit to build oil pipeline
Concerns that spills could pollute waterways spurred opposition to plans by TC Energy to build another crude oil pipeline in the Keystone system, the 1,200-mile Keystone XL. Critics also argued that using crude from western Canada’s oil sands would worsen the climate crisis. Joe Biden’s cancelation of a US permit for the project led the company to pull the plug last year. – The Guardian
Koch politcal donations
Koch Industries PAC (Koch PAC), the Koch Industries-affiliated Aegis PAC, and members of the Koch family have together donated over $600,000 to the campaigns and leadership PACs of all 13, according to data from the Federal Election Commission.
13 right-wing senators have received the financial backing of Charles Koch, whose political operation and family have spent more than $15 million to put them in the Senate. Heavily Koch-funded independent spending groups have poured millions of dollars into election ads and canvassing to help five of these senators win their races. – Exposed by CMD
Oil lobby donations
“Chevron’s corporate PAC donated $745,000 to those House members over the past decade and more than $127,000 to the seditious senators. Senators Ted Cruz and Josh Hawley, who led the push to challenge election results in states they don’t represent and cheered on protesters, received $10,000 from Chevron’s PAC in 2018. The PAC has spent $58,000 keeping House Minority Whip Steve Scalise in office. – Gizmodo
Keystone Votes Followed the Money. The May 22 House vote to yank President Obama’s decision making authority on whether to build the Keystone XL pipeline passed easily. Not a single Republican voted against it. House members who voted aye received $13.6 million in donations from the oil and gas industry in the 2012 election cycle, with each “aye” voter taking an average of $57,052 from the industry. – Open Secrets
Senators who voted to push through development of the Keystone XL pipeline today have received, on average, $570,034 in contributions to their campaigns and leadership PACs from the oil and gas industry . – Open Secrets
Support groups fighting to protect the environment
League of Conservation Voters (LCV) influences policy, holds politicians accountable, and wins elections. It fights to build a world with clean air, clean water, public lands, and a safe climate that are protected by a just and equitable democracy.
The Sierra Club deepens the movement for a liveable planet, safe communities, and a democracy that works for everyone.
Earth Justice goes to court to defend the planet and its people. It provides legal support to environmental groups.
Take Away: Hold politicians who put their oil lobby donors above the environment accountable.
Deepak
DemLabs
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Senator Josh Hawley – Oil lobby donation recipient
The brave Senator Josh Hawley riles up rioters on Jan 6th and then runs when they attack the capitol.
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