The Journal of the Baptist Peace Fellowship of North America April-June 2014 - (Page 10)

s TorIes oF P eacemakers Austin Heights Baptist Church & the Tar Sands Blockade by Natalia Alas f or the past three years, a highly controversial pipeline called Keystone XL has divided strong-willed environmentalists and business leaders. The Keystone XL pipeline is a proposed extension of the already existing keystone pipeline, constructed by Transcanada, an energy company based in Calgary, AB. because the pipeline crosses between canada and the US, the pipeline requires an official permit from the US president, in order to continue to be built in the united States. The existing pipeline runs from oil sand fields in Canada and ends in Cushing, OK. The proposed extension, the Keystone XL Pipeline, would cross through 16 counties in East Texas and end on the brink of the Gulf Coast. The main reason the project is creating so much controversy is because it is intended for the transportation of "tar sands," or bitumen, which is a rough mix of clay, sand, water and oil. Tar sands can be extremely dangerous to the environment, due to the fracking process involved in extracting it. fracking is the common term for induced hydraulic fracturing, a controversial method of extracting fluids such as gas, petroleum or uranium-bearing solutions from underground. This pipeline would risk the spilling of tar sands into water supplies. Also, extracting the usable oil from tar sands creates greenhouse emissions, and ecologists say that it will contaminate the environment. in addition to these issues, most of the pipeline is being constructed under rivers and sources of water, because of the ease of building in those areas. Since the US State Department has projected that the Keystone XL Pipeline would have about one spill a year, each involving more than 2,100 gallons of tar sands, this would easily infiltrate local water supplies. The existing Keystone Pipeline has already spilled 12 times in one year. TransCanada has also been criticized for the way in which its proponents have used eminent domain laws to pressure landowners to allow the company to build on their land. There are also claims that, in negotiating with landowners and community leaders, the company overestimates the number of jobs that would be created by the project. The Tar Sands Blockade is a highly organized movement involving mostly young, radical environmental activists who have built tree blockades and created lockdowns inside the pipeline. Many have been arrested and jailed by local law enforcement and sued by TransCanada. But these activists are not alone. They are joined by disgruntled, conservative landowners and city leaders. Last fall, some of the young blockaders set up an encampment near Nacogdoches, TX. They heard from local, grassroots organizers about austin Heights baptist church (a BPFNA Partner Congregation). several church members had coLeft: Kyle (far right) and Jane Webb Childress visit with a young Tar Sands Blockader. Photo courtesy of Austin Heights Baptist Church. 10 Baptist Peacemaker Apr-Jun 2014

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of The Journal of the Baptist Peace Fellowship of North America April-June 2014

También de este Lado Hay Sueños: This Side Also Has Dreams
El Ranchito: Sharing the Great Outdoors
Good News About Hershey's
The Birth of the Baptist Peace Fellowship
Letter to the Editor
Austin Heights Baptist Church & the Tar Sands Blockade
Future Peace Camp Locations
Remembering Rachel Gill
Inching Toward Peace Between Israel & Palestine
The BPFNA Companioning Program
Reflections From a BPFNA Young Adult Gathering
Wal-Mart Joins Fair Food Program
Resources & Opportunities
2013 BPFNA Highlights
2013 Contributors
Shalom Prayer

The Journal of the Baptist Peace Fellowship of North America April-June 2014