(Temporary) Good News!

By Bergin Parks on 03/13/2012 @ 11:30 AM

Tags: Environment, Energy

Thursday, March 8th was a particularly good day in congress for the environment. The Senate defeated the latest attempt at approving the Keystone XL tar sands pipeline. S 1813, a transportation bill, included amendments that would have increased off shore drilling opportunities, rolled back efforts at ensuring air quality standards, and approving permits for portions of the Keystone XL pipeline route. The senate made the right choices on all three counts. However, a vote is likely to take place on Tuesday, March 13th to grant access to domestic oil and gas reserves, including another approval attempt for the Keystone XL pipeline.

This tug of war dynamic is typical of our current congress, particularly on energy issues. FCNL is grateful for all the effort that our constituency has put in, calling and writing congress people and writing to editors of local papers, but the fight is far from over. This issue demands our unwavering attention, and relentless efforts at engaging our congress to communicate to them what their respective constituencies, and the country as a whole, want from them. We want a country whose energy future is wholly dependent upon clean and renewable energy resources. Congress must be receptive to the demands that future generations impose upon them now. The focus of energy policy in this country must be shifted from big oil favoritism to developing a clean, dependable energy infrastructure that won’t compromise quality of life. It’s no longer a debate. It is a moral imperative.