To the editor:

Approval of the TransCanada Keystone pipeline is looking more likely. A recent report from the Department of State does not identify serious risks to our national interests. Oh, really? What about climate change and dirty tar oil? Tar oil creates an unacceptable additional amount of C02 when energy companies use natural gas to heat the tar to extract the oil. Extraction costs render it the most environmentally unfriendly (C02 generating) kind of oil.

Maybe the pipeline is safer than rail, and maybe it will never spring a leak, but this is a poor solution to energy independence anyway since the tar oil is for export. It’s a seal of approval for a poisonous sewer pipe across our mid-section. It will probably take decades to wean ourselves off carbon but XLP is not a step in the right direction.

There are those who think there is maybe only a 20 percent chance of climate change. Even if that were true, a 20 percent likelihood is enough to do something. My house probably won’t burn down or flood, but I still have homeowners insurance. Let’s take out some insurance.

We can help solve the carbon issue with revenue neutral carbon fee and dividend legislation and no XLP. Call Citizens Climate Lobby and help enlist letters to our elected officials. There’s an old song: “Look over yonder. What do you see? A new day is rising, most definitely.” If we don’t look over yonder soon, tomorrow may not be the one we were hoping for.