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Rally In Uptown New Orleans Urges Obama To Veto Keystone XL Pipeline

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Activists are gathering on Freret Street Tuesday night as part of a national day of action against the creation of the Keystone XL pipeline.350 Louisiana, the Sierra Club, the Louisiana Bucket Brigade and other groups are coming together to ask President Obama to keep his promise to veto the pipeline.

The event is called a "projector action." Organizers will project images of Keystone and its consequences against the sides of buildings on Freret and Cadiz streets starting at 7:30 p.m.

Jenna De Bois Blanc is the co-founder of 350 Louisiana, the local branch of the international climate movement 350.org. De Bois Blanc says the rally is meant to educate the public on the real impact of the Keystone Pipeline. “Since our politicians in Louisiana like to throw around the card that keystone is going to create thousands of jobs, in reality the state department says it’s only going to create about 35 permanent jobs.”

Keystone would take oil, extracted from sand dunes in Canada, and transport it via pipeline to Gulf Coast refineries. Opponents say that extraction process emits a lot of greenhouse gases. Those in favor of the pipeline say it’s needed to expand oil production.

The recent fall in gas prices has only heightened the Keystone debate. It’s a cheaper way to get northern crude oil to southern refineries rather than send it by train.

The Freret Street action is one of more than 150 planned events around the country on Tuesday. 

Support for WWNO's Coastal Desk comes from the Walton Family Foundation, the Greater New Orleans Foundation, and the Kabacoff Family Foundation.

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