#NOKXL a Victory, but the Fight isn't Over Yet
by Jacquie Ayala, SEN Florida Organizer
We’ve made history. Yesterday, the Obama administration announced they would delay the decision on the Keystone XL pipeline until its environmental impacts have been re-reviewed. This means a 12-18 month delay that most are projecting will effectively kill the project.
Just seven days ago we were all together in Asheville, North Carolina for the SSREC. Some of us knew what the Keystone XL was, some of us had no idea until we announced our action. But we all took action that weekend; not only at our #NOKXL solidarity march and rally on Sunday, but also by arming ourselves with the tools, skills, and passion needed to continue the fight against corporate polluters and their allies at home.
Sunday, November 6th, we made it impossible for the President to ignore our collective voice. As 12,000 young people, community members, children, parents, grandparents, and leaders came together at his doorstep, thousands of others came together across the country. In the Southeast we too stood in solidarity against the Keystone XL. We reminded the President of his promise to create a future “free from the tyranny of oil,” and that we have not forgotten our stake in that future. We showed that the power of a grassroots movement can make a difference.
Despite this victory, the fight against the Keystone XL pipeline is far from over. A 12-18 month delay means a decision does not have to be made until after the Presidential election in 2012. Which means we need to step it up. The President needs to know that we will continue to have our voices heard until the pipeline is stopped in its tracks, permanently.
In the Southeast, we have an opportunity. We are some of the most dedicated, active, and unwavering youth climate organizers in the country. The President is looking closely at the key states in our region for the upcoming election. To ensure he is held accountable for his promise and our futures, we need to take action in every state. As young people in the South we recognize the dangers of dirty energy – our region hosts one of the largest concentrations of dirty energy facilities such as coal-fired power plants, oil refineries, and nuclear power plants in the country. All of which threaten the lives and health of millions of people unable to stop the corporate control over our communities.
But now more than ever, I have hope for our future. We are indeed the DO something generation. We will stop the pipeline, and we will continue to build momentum across the nation for climate justice. Take the pledge to stand up to big polluters and hold our politicians accountable. Our people power is what drove the President to delay the pipeline, and our people power will be the driving force for a clean and just energy future.
Photo by Will Wysong, USF Tampa
