Exxon’s Tar Sands Oil Spill Portends Dirty and Dangerous Future in Keystone XL Pipeline

Environment America

Boston, MA. — Environment America’s Get Off Oil Program Director, Dan Gatti, issued this statement following the rupture of Exxon Mobil’s Pegasus pipeline on Friday afternoon, which spilled an estimated 2000 barrels of oil and caused the evacuation of 22 homes in the small town of Mayflower, Arkansas:

“This must have felt like a nightmare for the families suddenly having to evacuate their homes, but it’s a glimpse into some of the very real consequences of building the Keystone XL pipeline, which would carry the same dirty tar sands oil across the country.

“In addition to hazardous spills, according to EPA, the global warming impact of building the Keystone pipeline is the equivalent to over 4 million cars or 6 coal-fired power plants.

“These images of oil-coated disasters need to become reminders of a bygone era, not a sign of things to come.

“For the sake of the health and safety of our environment, we ask President Obama and the State Department to reject the Keystone XL pipeline and to oppose other tar sands projects, like the pipeline that would take tar sands oil through Sebago Lake in Maine.”