A group of U.S. senators says it has enough votes to not only approve the controversial Keystone XL pipeline, but push it past President Barack Obama.
The group consists of all 45 Republican senators and 11 Democrats. They introduced legislation for the pipeline on Thursday.
Sen. Joe Manchin, D-W.Va., appeared on Fox News to announce that he believed pipeline proponents had enough Senate votes to give TransCanada the green light and that a vote would happen soon. Despite charges of unfair land contracts and research indicating that the pipeline would significant exacerbate our climate, Manchin says the issue is ensuring the country's energy security.
The senator argued that the pipeline was a more environmentally friendly means of transporting oil to refineries. There's no doubt that a measure would pass in the Republican House of Representatives. Last year, a non-binding resolution to support the pipeline passed by a 62-37 count in the Senate.
Environmental groups weren't pleased with the news, but are confident that the Administration will say no to dirty tar sands oil when all is said and done.
"We see this as a purely political move," Jane Kleeb, director of Bold Nebraska, said in a call with reporters, according to the Huffington Post. "We think the president will be true to his word that he wants to see the process play out."
Kleeb also appeared via phone on MSNBC's The Ed Show. The issue is discussed, beginning at the 1:53-mark of the below video, with Kleeb's interview following.
This week would likely be the last time senators debate the pipeline before November elections. The Administration could veto such a bill, but it would take 67 votes to override one. Does Manchin believe supporters can find a few more votes?
"I would hope so," he said.
White House press secretary Jay Carney denounced the potential for Congressional force to push the pipeline through the approval process.
"Our position hasn’t changed, which is that this has to be run by the book," Carney said. "What we’ve seen in the past when Congress has passed legislation, it has actually slowed the process down. So we believe that this has to be run by the book, outside of politics, and that’s the way it’s being run."
With just four votes needed to reach a "filibuster-proof" majority of 60 votes, The Hill listed Delaware Sen. Chris Coons as one of the Democrats the pipeline supporters would try to convert. His spokesman said that's not going to happen.
"Sen. Coons believes the law makes clear that it's up to the administration to make permitting decisions like this one,"Coons spokesman Ian Koski told the site. "He's frustrated with how long it's taking for a decision to be made, but doesn't think it's Congress' role to be issuing construction permits."
In response, 350.org is encouraging people to call their senators' offices to encourage them not to vote for the pipeline.
"This pipeline would be a climate disaster, and if the senator is serious about fighting climate change, then they should vote ‘no' on any bill that approves Keystone XL," the organization's script reads.
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Here are three new films to watch this Earth Week that will transport you from pole to pole and introduce you to the scientists and activists working to save our shared home.
1. The Year Earth Changed
Where to Watch: Apple TV+
When to Watch: From April 16
The coronavirus pandemic has brought home the stakes of humanity's impact on the environment. But the lockdowns also proved how quickly nature can recover when humans give it the space. Birds sang in empty cities, whales surfaced in Glacier Bay and capybara roamed the South American suburbs.
The Year Earth Changed captures this unique year with footage from more than 30 lockdowned cities between May 2020 to January 2021. Narrated by renowned wildlife broadcaster David Attenborough, the film explores what positive lessons we can take from the experience of a quieter, less trafficked world.
"What the film shows is that the natural world can bounce back remarkably quickly when we take a step back and reduce our impact as we did during lockdown," executive producer Alice Keens-Soper of BBC Studios Natural History Unit told EcoWatch. "If we are willing to make even small changes to our habits, the natural world can flourish. We need to learn how to co-exist with nature and understand that we are not separate from it- for example if we closed some of our beaches at for a few weeks during the turtle breeding we see that it can make a huge difference to their success. There are many ways that we can adapt our behavior to allow the natural world to thrive as it did in lockdown."
2. After Antarctica
Where to Watch: San Francisco International Film Festival
When to Watch: 12 a.m. PST April 9 to 11:59 p.m. April 18
In 1989, Will Steger led an international team of six scientists and explorers to be the first humans to cross Antarctica by dogsled. Steger and his team weren't just in it for the adventure. They also wanted to draw attention to the ways in which the climate crisis was already transforming the icy continent and to rally support for the renewal of the Antarctic Treaty, which would keep the continent safe from extractive industries.
In After Antarctica, award-winning filmmaker Tasha Van Zandt follows Steger 30 years later as he travels the Arctic this time, reflecting on his original journey and once again bringing awareness to changes in a polar landscape. The film intersperses this contemporary journey with footage from the original expedition, some of which has never been seen before.
"Will's life journey as an explorer and climate activist has led him not only to see more of the polar world than anyone else alive today, but to being an eyewitness to the changes occurring across both poles," Van Zandt told EcoWatch. "But now, these changes are happening in all of our own backyards and we have all become eyewitnesses. Through my journey with Will, I have learned that although we cannot always control change, we can change our response. I feel strongly that this is a message that resonates when we look at the current state of the world, as we each have power and control over how we choose to respond to hardships, and we all have the power to unite with others through collective action around a common goal."
After Antarctica is available to stream once you purchase a ticket to the San Francisco International Film Festival. If you miss it this weekend, it will screen again at the Minneapolis St. Paul International Film Festival from May 13 to May 23.
Tasha Van Zandt
3. The Race to Save the World
Where to Watch: Virtual Cinema
When to Watch: From Earth Day, April 22
While many films about the climate crisis seek to raise awareness about the extent of the problem, The Race to Save the World focuses on the people who are trying to stop it. The film tells the story of climate activists ranging from 15-year-old Aji to 72-year-old Miriam who are working to create a sustainable future. It follows them from the streets to the courtroom to their homes, and explores the impact of their advocacy on their personal lives and relationships.
Emmy award-winning documentary filmmaker Joe Gantz told EcoWatch that he wanted to make a film about climate change, but did not want to depress viewers with overwhelming statistics. Instead, he chose to inspire them by sharing the stories of people trying to make a difference.
"Unless millions of people take to the streets and make their voices heard for a livable future, the politicians are not going to get on board to help make the changes needed for a sustainable future," Gantz told Ecowatch. "I think that The Race To Save The World will energize and inspire people to take action so that future generations, as well as the plants, animals and ecosystems, can survive and thrive on this planet."
Check back with EcoWatch on the morning of Earth Day for a special preview of this inspiring film!
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