Unfortunately I was unable to attend the recent rally in Washington, DC protesting the construction of the XL Pipeline, but my heart was with the over 40,000 who attended. We are truly at a crossroads when it comes to climate change. The message to President Obama and the State Department was “reject the XL Pipeline project” and not encourage production of dirty energy. Instead, let’s focus on producing clean energy sources to save the planet.

It is a well-known fact that 98% of the world’s scientists agree that the earth is warming mostly due to us producing too much carbon-dioxide because of our over use of carbon intensive fossil fuels. So, if this is the case, then why on earth would we want to encourage the construction of a pipeline from Canada that will transport highly concentrated tar sands through the heart of our country to be refined and shipped overseas? Tar sands oil is the dirtiest form of fossil fuel and even dirtier than coal and costs much more to produce. It would be derelict of President Obama to approve this project knowing what effect this would have on our environment.

I have a real problem with congressional leaders (particularly Republicans) that tout this project because it will produce jobs. The jobs will be mostly temporary and the risk of future leaks and spills that could contaminate major water sources is just not worth it.

Finally, President Obama, in your recent speeches you have been talking about global warming /climate change and that we must start moving forward to slow down its progress. If not now, when? I would hope that you would want an environmental legacy of “doing the right thing” by rejecting the XL Pipeline.

I encourage everyone to call or write President Obama and strongly urge him to stop this pipeline.

John Hahn

Shohola, PA