A collection of 30 environmental groups is preparing to send Hillary Clinton a letter calling on her to come out against the Keystone XL pipeline project, an illustration of the competing political pressures she faces even before she has even announced whether she will run for president.
A draft of the letter obtained by The Wall Street Journal reads: “Secretary Clinton, will you stand with us against Keystone XL?
“Given your longstanding advocacy for the environment and the importance of battling the climate crisis, your involvement would lend an important voice against this dangerous pipeline and in favor of energy sources that don’t threaten future generations of Americans.”
The draft, dated May 21, shows that signatories include the Center for Biological Diversity, Greenpeace andFriends of the Earth, as well as many small groups. Some well-known groups that aren’t signatories on the draft include the Sierra Club, Environmental Defense Fund, League of Conservation Voters and Natural Resources Defense Council, or NDRC.
The Sierra Club, which has been one of the most active groups fighting the pipeline, won’t be signing the letter, according to its executive director, Michael Brune, who declined to say why.
A spokesman for the NDRC said the letter was circulated to NRDC in late April, but the group at the time was focused on the “decision-making processes” at the State Department and didn’t give attention to the letter. Also, Mrs. Clinton is now a “private citizen” and thus not empowered to make a decision with respect to Keystone, the NRDC spokesman said.
It wasn’t immediately clear whether any of the other groups would sign on.
Mrs. Clinton’s office didn’t immediately respond to a request for comment.
TransCanada’s proposed pipeline has become one of the most divisive environmental issues the Obama administration has confronted. Conservative Democrats in tough reelection bids in November, including Sen. Mary Landrieu of Louisiana, have come out in favor of the project, predicting that it would boost jobs and economic growth.
Deep-pocked Democratic donors and liberal activists want to see the Obama administration scuttle Keystone, warning that it would accelerate the pace of global climate change.
