Keystone XL pipeline : A group of 56 senators -- all 45 Republicans plus 11 Democrats –- introduced legislation on Thursday that would bypass the Obama administration and grant approval for the pipeline.

Kate Sheppard 

Senators Seek To Force Approval Of Keystone XL Pipeline

Posted: 05/01/2014 4:10 pm EDT Updated: 05/01/2014 4:59 pm EDT

 

WASHINGTON –- Senate supporters of the Keystone XL pipeline say they think they have enough votes to pass a bill that would force the approval of the controversial project. A group of 56 senators -- all 45 Republicans plus 11 Democrats –- introduced legislation on Thursday that would bypass the Obama administration and grant approval for the pipeline.
Sens. John Hoeven (R-N.D.) and Mary Landrieu (D-La.) introduced the bill on Thursday. Democrats Heidi Heitkamp (D-N.D.), Mark Begich (D-Alaska), Mark Pryor (D-Ark.), Joe Manchin (D-W.Va.), Joe Donnelly (D-Ind.), Claire McCaskill (D-Mo.), Mark Warner (D-Va.), Jon Tester (D-Mont.), John Walsh (D-Mont.), and Kay Hagan (D-N.C.) are cosponsoring it.
Because it crosses an international border, the decision on the pipeline falls under the authority of the State Department. The State Department announced another delay on a decision last month in response to a court decision that invalidated the pipeline's proposed route through Nebraska, saying that it would wait to decide until there is more clarity on where the pipeline will ultimately run. The legislation would grant approval to "any subsequent revision to the pipeline route" in Nebraska, without requiring further environmental analysis.
"We continue to hear delay, delay, delay from the Administration about the Keystone XL pipeline. I’m beyond sick of it," Heitkamp said in a statement Thursday. "We have strong bipartisan support in the Senate for this project –- and I’m proud to have recruited support from 10 other Democrats last month. Now, all of those Democrats also signed onto this bill that we crafted to fully approve the construction of the Keystone pipeline. If the Administration isn’t going to make a decision on this project after more than five years, then we’ll make it for them. End of story."

Read More Here

Related articles

• Senators Introduce Bipartisan Bill Approving Keystone Pipeline
• Bipartisan bill approves pipeline construction
• U.S. Senate thwarting delay by President Obama on Keystone XL
• KEYSTONE XL DEBATE Pipeline supporters push for swift Senate vote
• Supporters says Keystone bill short of 60 votes
• Pipeline supporters seek quick Senate vote
• Harry Reid Opens Door To Keystone Pipeline Vote
• Bipartisan bill approves Keystone XL construction
• Senators pushing for Keystone pipeline vote
• Senators Set Up a Keystone XL Showdown With White House

“The Myth That Nuclear Power Is Clean And Safe Has Collapsed”. Nuclear Is a “Criminal Act Toward Future Generations”. “Our Nation’s Survival Is At Stake” : Former Japanese PM's

Nuclear Fuel Cycle  (Public Domain)

Image Source  :  Wikipedia.org

Author  Tungsten.

.....

WashingtonsBlog

Two Former Japanese Prime Ministers Try to Shake Up Japanese Politics to Kill Nuclear Energy

Posted on January 23, 2014 by WashingtonsBlog

Japan may have enacted a fascist state secrecy law which outlaws independent reporting on Fukushima … but there might be some hope yet.
Specifically, two former Prime Ministers are speaking out on Fukushima and Japan’s energy future.
EneNews gave an excellent roundup last week:
Kyodo, Jan. 14, 2014: Former Prime Minister Morihiro Hosokawa said Tuesday he will run in the upcoming Tokyo gubernatorial election with an antinuclear agenda after securing the backing of popular former Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi [...] The move [...] could have game-changing impact on the race for the helm of the Japanese capital [...] “I have made my decision to run in the Tokyo governor election,” Hosokawa told reporters after meeting Koizumi. “I have a sense of crisis myself that the country’s various problems, especially nuclear power plants, are matters of survival for the country.” [...] Koizumi indicated the main focus of the election will be whether to pursue nuclear power or not, calling the election “a war between the group that says Japan can grow with zero nuclear power plants” and the group that says it cannot. [...]
Asahi Shimbun, Jan. 14, 2014: [...] “I have a sense of crisis that various problems facing Japan today, especially the issue of nuclear power generation, will endanger the existence of our country,” Hosokawa said, explaining the reason for his candidacy. [...] Koizumi said the Tokyo gubernatorial election will be a contest between pro- and anti-nuclear forces. “My belief is that Japan will be able to do without nuclear energy. Hosokawa also has the same belief. That is the biggest reason for my support of him,” he said. [...] Koizumi told reporters, “I expressed my respects to Hosokawa from the heart. I will do my utmost so that Hosokawa wins the election.” Koizumi said the Tokyo gubernatorial election could have “the biggest influence ever on national politics.” “If the Tokyo metropolitan government shows that it can go without nuclear power generation, it will certainly be able to change Japan,” he said. Koizumi also said, “If Hosokawa becomes Tokyo governor, he will have a major influence that could shake national politics on the issues of energy and nuclear power generation.” [...]
Wall St. Journal, Jan. 14, 2014: [Former Prime Ministers Hosokawa and Koizumi] are expected to stir up the gubernatorial race and bring the energy debate back into the national spotlight. That will likely dismay of the administration of Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, which would rather not have the divisive issue become an election focal point. [...] Mr. Hosokawa said [...] “I have a sense of crisis that our nation’s survival is at stake over nuclear power.”


Read More Here

.....

Protests Grow in Japan: "We Want to Bring Our Message to the World to Stop Nuclear Power Plants"

democracynow·

Published on Jan 17, 2014

http://www.democracynow.org - Recent moves by the Japanese government to restart the country's nuclear power plant facilities have been met by growing protests "I think this is a problem of the world, not just of Japan," Kato Kaiko told Democracy Now! at a protest outside the Prime Minister's private residence in Tokyo. She describes how there is increasing expectation that voters will decide which candidate to choose in the upcoming election based on their position on nuclear power.
Watch our entire special broadcast from Japan at http://www.democracynow.org/topics/japan......

.....

Related articles

• Hosokawa to run, gets nuke foe Koizumi's nod
• Hosokawa Targets Tokyo's Clout in Japan Nuclear Debate - Bloomberg
• Tokyo governor poll a referendum over nuke policy
• 'Game Changer': Former Prime Ministers Team Up To Win Tokyo Election And End Nuclear Power - 'Our Nation's Survival Is At Stake'
• Nuclear power an election battle issue in Tokyo
• Battle for Tokyo Goes Nuclear - Bloomberg