About two dozen activists held vigil today in front of the federal building in Syracuse urging President Obama to reject the expansion of the Keystone pipeline.
The action follows the release late last week of the State Department’s final environmental impact review, on which the president is expected to base his decision. Long-time activist Sandy Porter says the process harms the environment from the time huge earth movers dig out the tar sands, to where they process it.
Others say the decision by the President will be a bellwether for the country's approach to unconventional methods of harvesting fossil fuels.
The Keystone pipeline already exists from Texas to Oklahoma. The XL portion would extend from Nebraska to Alberta, Canada.
The state department’s report says extending the pipeline will impact the environment, but doesn’t warrant withholding permits.
The activists represented organizations including 350.org, CREDO, and the Sierra Club.
