Essay: Lies in the energy debate

Daily Climate get their grump on.

Having felt euphoria when President Obama rejected the Keystone XL pipeline permit, environmentalists now see the tarsands juggernaut barely pausing.
In fact, all the worst-case developments remain on track. Is it time to stand up?

"This is a victory for Americans who testified in record numbers, and who demanded that science get the hearing usually reserved for big money." – Bill McKibben, January 2012.

BOZEMAN, Mont. – Once long ago – actually only three months ago – the Obama administration drew a line in the sand in solidarity with thousands of protesters, reams of petitions and dozens of dramatic demonstrations across the country, giving cry to environmental concerns over tarsands oil development and general alarm at the threat of accelerated climate change.

Now, it looks like that line was at best a diversion, at worst a lie.

Almost immediately, pressure mounted from conservatives and Republicans, including some of the very politicians in Nebraska who had opposed the Keystone XL pipeline carrying Alberta's tarsands crude to Texas ports. It soon became clear that the permit denial might only signal a delay, while the pipeline route was modified to skirt the vulnerable Nebraska Sandhills.

More: http://wwwp.dailyclimate.org/tdc-newsroom/2012/04/essay-kesselheim-energy-politics