Tom Steyer: Stop Fearmongering On Keystone XL

Tom Steyer, NextGen Climate

We're calling on billionaire climate activist Tom Steyer, and his organization NextGen Climate to stop fearmongering the Keystone XL pipeline and publicly oppose the criminalization of climate activism.

Recently, Tom Steyer's NextGen Climate contracted retired Command Master Chief Navy SEAL Dave Cooper to author a report on the likelihood of a terrorist attack on a “soft target” like the Keystone XL pipeline.

In the report, Cooper makes the industry’s argument for them, stating that the “very nature of Keystone XL’s newsworthiness, should it ever be built, increases its attractiveness as a target to terrorists. That simple fact … should clue in pipeline owners and government officials to the very real possibility of intentional attack. They should plan, prepare, and regulate accordingly.”

Earth Island Journal's Adam Federman further elaborated on the meaning of the report when he wrote: “NextGen’s report is essentially calling for the militarization of the nation’s oil and gas infrastructure in which photographing, protesting, or visiting gas wells or pipelines could be interpreted as a threat to national security.

While this increased policing of Keystone XL may or may not prevent terror attacks, it does put environmental activists, journalists and other citizen watch dogs at a greater risk in their efforts to monitor and expose systemic problems with oil and gas operations.

Our activists are already being watched and harassed by the national security apparatus. Reports like this only make matters worse.

In our view, the bottom line is that we need to keep tar sands in the ground. We don't do that by scaring the public with threats of possible terrorist attacks on oil pipelines. We do it by organizing bold and effective movements to stop Big Oil in its tracks.

Will Tom Steyer stand with climate activists or is he just another billionaire protecting the existing order?

Sign this petition and demand that Tom Steyer and NextGen Climate stop fearmongering on Keystone XL and publicly oppose the criminalization of climate activism.

REFERENCES

1. “Retired Navy SEAL Says Keystone XL Would Be Highly Vulnerable To Attacks” Kate Sheppard, Huffington Post June 4, 2014

2. “Green Group Warns Keystone XL May be Vulnerable to Terrorist Attack. But Will the Warning Backfire?” Adam Federman, Earth Island Journal June 17, 2014

3. “The Keystone XL Pipeline: A Threat Assessment” David M. Cooper June 4, 2014

To: Tom Steyer, NextGen Climate
From: [Your Name]

Dear Tom Steyer and NextGen Climate,

We're calling on you to stop fearmongering the Keystone XL pipeline and publicly oppose the criminalization of climate activism. You recently released a report arguing that the Keystone XL pipeline is the perfect “soft” target for terrorists.

Climate and anti-extraction activists are already being watched and harassed by the national security state. This report further justifies a police state around oil and gas infrastructure making journalists, photographers, activists and other citizen watchdogs criminals.

We demand that you stop fearmongering on Keystone XL and justifying an escalated police state around oil and gas infrastructure.

Sincerely, the undersigned