U.S. Senate passes bill to approve Keystone XL pipeline, accelerate global warming

Media Contacts

Environment America

WASHINGTON, D.C. — After three weeks of debate, the U.S. Senate passed a bill this afternoon to force approval of the controversial Keystone XL pipeline. The measure passed 62 to 36, failing to garner enough votes to override a promised veto from President Obama. According to the State Department, building Keystone XL would add 26 million metric tons of carbon pollution to our atmosphere each year, the equivalent of putting another 5.7 million cars on the road. Anna Aurilio, global warming solutions program director, issued the following statement:

“We owe it to the next generation to put the brakes on global warming, but Keystone XL would hit the accelerator. By pushing forward this dangerous pipeline, the Senate is listening to the project’s oil industry backers, not the scientists who say there’s a limit to how much carbon we can dump into the air before climate change spirals out of control.
 
“We’re delighted that President Obama has pledged to veto this pro-polluter, pro-global warming bill. The president is continuing to lead on climate, and we’re thankful to all the senators who voted with him today to reject this dirty, dangerous pipeline legislation.”