Pipe Dreams: Keystone delayed until 2013!

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Dear Winners,

We know you just heard from us, but we have same amazing news! Not only have we found out that Pete and Emily have had their charges dropped for the Oil Orgy, we have also just heard that Obama has delayed the Keystone XL pipeline decision for over a year!

What a month it’s been for tar sands action: we’ve staged an orgy, quashed a propagandist, built a White House, delayed a pipeline, and unveiled our first Tar-Free Town! But there is always more to do: the battle of the Fuel Quality Directive (FQD) continues, with action heading to Baker’s local constituency in coming weeks.

Remember, as the IEA recently reminded us, we only have five years to stop building carbon intensive infrastructure if we want to stop runaway climate change. Tar sands are massively carbon-intensive, but also just massively massive: no matter how much they are ‘greened’, their sheer size poses a monumental threat to the climate. So if you’re involved in tar sands campaigning, or would like to be, drop us an email and we’ll see how we can provide support and publicity for your actions, or help you get started on a campaign.

1. Keystone pipeline update
2. Orgy charges dropped
3. FQD action in Lewes
4. People and Planet Beaver Lake Cree Exchange

Massive thanks for everyone’s hard work,

Sue and Emily

1. Keystone XL pipeline update

A culmination of months of action was reached on Sunday, when 10,000+ people gathered around the White House in DC to urge Obama to reject the proposed 1200-mile tar sands pipeline. On the same day we held a solidarity action by the US embassy where we surrounded our own miniature White House, built especially for us by the lovely Ellie. A great report by Tim is up on Indymedia.

What happened next was remarkable. The Obama administration announced yesterday it would carry out a further environmental review and research alternative routes for the pipeline, delaying any decision until early 2013. This is a great victory! The battle isn’t completely over, but as Bill McKibben points out, the pipeline (on any route) is unlikely to survive a proper environmental review, because, unlike the last assessment, this one “won’t be carried out by cronies of the pipeline company…it will be an expert and independent assessment.” Well done to all involved!

2. Orgy charges dropped

In other happy news, Emily and Pete, who were charged with criminal damage for spilling some molasses on some chairs and a table cloth during the ‘oil orgy’, have since had their charges dropped. The prosecution decided to discontinue to the case after friendly law firm Bindmans convinced them it was not in the public interest to prosecute.

3. FQD action in Lewes

Local action in the constituency of Norman Baker, the minister in charge of the UK’s position on the tar-sands-discouraging-FQD, will take place on Saturday 26th instead of tomorrow as originally planned. A ‘tar monster’ will roam the area and local residents will speak out against tar sands, urging Baker to remember his environmental credentials and stop working with Canada to block the EU legislation. This will contribute to the mounting national and international pressure against Baker to agree to the FQD. If you live near Lewes try and get along to this action – Baker’s constituency is a key area to target in this battle.

4. People & Planet Beaver Lake Cree Exchange

Wednesday evening saw an emotional event at Greenpeace in London, where Chance and Crystal spoke about the tar sands impacts on their community of Beaver Lake. If you missed this, there is still time to see them, and a host of other interesting speakers and workshops, at People & Planet’s Shared Planet event this weekend in Oxford.