Letter Urges Democratic Candidates to Take 'NoKXL Pledge' to Stop the Keystone XL Pipeline on Day One If Elected President

A coalition of landowners, Tribal Nations and environmental groups that have been fighting the proposed Keystone XL tarsands export pipeline for 10 years today sent a letter to all Democratic presidential candidates, urging them to take the 'NoKXL Pledge' making it clear that on Day One in office they will revoke the unprecedented, unilateral permit that President Trump issued for the controversial pipeline.

The letter specifically urges the Democratic presidential candidates to pledge to immediately revoke the unilateral permits issued by President Trump for the Keystone XL and Dakota Access pipelines. It also urges candidates to pledge to direct all federal agencies (State Department, FERC, Army Corps) to submit these two projects--as well as all new energy infrastructure projects--to a true 'climate test,' and reject any project that will exacerbate our climate crisis. Further, it calls on the Democratic candidates to protect property rights from eminent domain abuse and to honor U.S. treaties with sovereign Tribal Nations.

View letter to Democratic candidates urging them to take the 'NoKXL Pledge': https://boldnebraska.org/nokxlpledge

QUOTES:

"There is no middle ground when it comes to protecting the land, water, and climate," said Jane Kleeb, Bold Nebraska founder. "You either stand with family farmers, ranchers, Tribal Nations, and environmentalists--or you stand with fossil fuel corporations who are abusing eminent domain, and trampling on the treaty rights of Tribal Nations."

"We need a presidential candidate that is serious about fighting climate change and supporting Indigenous Rights, said Dallas Goldtooth, Keep It In The Ground Campaigner for the Indigenous Environmental Network. "Tribal nations and communities are battling for the survival of our ecosystems and ways of life, and we need a president who will stand with us against Big Oil and the fossil fuel regime. Signing the NOKXL pledge is a solid step in the right direction."

"Talking a big game on climate doesn't mean much if you're still building massive pipelines like Keystone XL and doing the fossil fuel industry's bidding. Any candidate who wants to be taken seriously on climate needs to stand up to Big Oil and say, 'No,' said Collin Rees, Senior Campaigner at Oil Change U.S. "Climate leadership means standing with frontline and Indigenous communities, farmers and ranchers, and young people by stopping the deadly expansion of the fossil fuel industry and enacting a just transition for workers and communities."

"Any Democratic candidate claiming to be a real climate leader will take the NoKXL Pledge and commit to stopping the Keystone XL pipeline on Day One. The KXL pledge is a critical step in moving towards stopping all new fossil fuel projects and protecting communities already experiencing the devastation of fossil fuel disasters. To build systems that work for all of us, we must keep fossil fuels in the ground, prioritize Indigenous rights, workers and frontline communities, and hold fossil fuel billionaires accountable for their destruction. Together we've stopped the Keystone XL pipeline for over a decade. It's time all Presidential candidates join us and commit to stopping KXL once and for all," said Natalie Mebane, Associate Director US Policy at 350 Action.

"Candidates must do more than pay lip service to climate change and the communities impacted by dangerous fossil fuel projects like Keystone XL. The American people demand to know who will make decisions based on science, not Big Oil profits. Our next president must serve the needs of communities and Tribal Nations, not corporate donors," said Nicole Ghio with Friends of the Earth Action.

"Our next president needs to listen to the science that says we can't build new fossil fuel projects and fight climate change at the same time, not the polluters who say we don't have a choice. Reversing Trump's misguided Keystone XL and Dakota Access Pipeline authorizations on day one sends a clear message to the fossil fuel executives that their days of power over the White House are over," said Charlie Jiang, Greenpeace USA Climate Campaigner.

"Our climate is in crisis and Donald Trump has done more than most presidents to make that crisis spiral into chaos," said Josh Nelson, CREDO Action co-director. "Every Democratic candidate must commit to the NoKXL pledge to show they will be bold leaders to combat climate change and protect our environment and communities."

View online petition urging Democratic candidates to take the "NoKXL Pledge": https://actionnetwork.org/petitions/tell-the-democratic-party-candidates-take-the-nokxl-pledge

"NoKXL Pledge" Co-Sponsors:

Bold Nebraska & Bold Alliance

Nebraska Easement Action Team Ponca Tribe of Nebraska Winnebago Tribe of Nebraska

Indigenous Environmental Network 350.org Action

Greenpeace USA

Sunrise Movement

CREDO

Oil Change U.S.

Friends of the Earth Action

Center for Biological Diversity Action Fund

Climate Hawks Vote

Chesapeake Climate Action Network

Progressive Democrats of America

NYC Grassroots Alliance

Earth Action

Bucks Environmental Network

Greenbelt Climate Action Network

Anthropocene Alliance

New York Climate Action Group

Coalition Against the Rockaway Pipeline

Coalition Against the Pilgrim Pipeline