Gabby Brown, gabby.brown@sierraclub.org
Marshall County, SD -- Ahead of the Nebraska Public Service Commission’s announcement on Monday whether or not to allow TransCanada to build its proposed Keystone XL tar sands pipeline through the state, TransCanada’s original Keystone pipeline has sprung yet another leak in South Dakota. Crews are currently working to clean up the spill, which leaked at least 210,000 gallons of oil into the surrounding area. This is not the first spill from Keystone 1; the pipeline had a dozen spills in its first year of operation alone.
In response, Sierra Club Beyond Dirty Fuels campaign director Kelly Martin released the following statement:
“We’ve always said it’s not a question of whether a pipeline will spill, but when, and today TransCanada is making our case for us. This is not the first time TransCanada’s pipeline has spilled toxic tar sands, and it won’t be the last. The PSC must take note: there is no such thing as a safe tar sands pipeline, and the only way to protect Nebraska communities from more tar sands spills is to say no to Keystone XL.”
About the Sierra Club
The Sierra Club is America’s largest and most influential grassroots environmental organization, with more than 3 million members and supporters. In addition to helping people from all backgrounds explore nature and our outdoor heritage, the Sierra Club works to promote clean energy, safeguard the health of our communities, protect wildlife, and preserve our remaining wild places through grassroots activism, public education, lobbying, and legal action. For more information, visit www.sierraclub.org.