--- title: Scientists Urge State Department to Review Climate Impacts of Keystone XL date: 2012-07-17T19:43:31Z modified: 2012-07-17T19:44:05Z permalink: "https://350.org/scientists-urge-state-department-review-climate-impacts-keystone-xl/" type: post status: publish excerpt: "On July 17, 350.org released a letter signed by ten of the nation's top climate scientists urging the State Department to fully consider the climate implications of the Keystone XL pipeline in the department's Supplemental Environmental Impact Statement (SEIS) for the northern leg of the project. Click here for a press release about the release of the letter.  July 17, 2012  Dear Secretary Clinton, We are writing to ask that the State Department conduct, as part of its evaluation of the Keystone XL pipeline proposal, a serious review of the effect of helping open Canada’s tar sands on the planet’s climate. At the moment, your department is planning to consider the effects of the pipeline on “recreation,” “visual resources,” and “noise,” among other factors. Those are important—but omitting climate change from the considerations is neither wise nor credible. The vast volumes of carbon in the tar sands ensure that they will play an important role in whether or not climate change gets out of hand; understanding the role this largescale new pipeline will play in that process is clearly crucial. We were pleased that President Obama saw fit to review this project more carefully; it would be a shame if that review did not manage to comprehensively cover the most important questions at issue. Sincerely, John AbrahamAssociate Professor, School of EngineeringUniversity of St. Thomas Ken CaldeiraSenior ScientistDepartment of Global EcologyCarnegie Institution James HansenResearch ScientistThe International Research Institute for Climate and SocietyThe Earth Institute, Columbia University Michael MacCrackenChief Scientist for Climate Change ProgramsClimate Institute Michael E. MannProfessor of MeteorologyDirector, Earth System Science CenterThe Pennsylvania State University James McCarthyAlexander Agassiz Professor of Biological OceanographyHarvard University Michael OppenheimerAlbert G. Milbank Professor of Geosciences and International AffairsWoodrow Wilson School and Department of GeosciencesPrinceton University Raymond T. PierrehumbertLouis Block Professor in the Geophysical SciencesThe University of Chicago Richard SomervilleDistinguished Professor Emeritus and Research ProfessorScripps Institution of Oceanography George M. WoodwellFounder, Director Emeritus, and Senior ScientistWoods Hole Research Center Affiliations are listed for identification purposes only." wpid: 29679 --- _On July 17, 350.org released a letter signed by ten of the nation’s top climate scientists urging the State Department to fully consider the climate implications of the Keystone XL pipeline in the department’s Supplemental Environmental Impact Statement (SEIS) for the northern leg of the project. [Click here](https://www.350.org/en/press-release-scientist-letter-keystone-xl) for a press release about the release of the letter._ July 17, 2012 Dear Secretary Clinton, We are writing to ask that the State Department conduct, as part of its evaluation of the Keystone XL pipeline proposal, a serious review of the effect of helping open Canada’s tar sands on the planet’s climate. At the moment, your department is planning to consider the effects of the pipeline on “recreation,” “visual resources,” and “noise,” among other factors. Those are important—but omitting climate change from the considerations is neither wise nor credible. The vast volumes of carbon in the tar sands ensure that they will play an important role in whether or not climate change gets out of hand; understanding the role this largescale new pipeline will play in that process is clearly crucial. We were pleased that President Obama saw fit to review this project more carefully; it would be a shame if that review did not manage to comprehensively cover the most important questions at issue. Sincerely, John Abraham Associate Professor, School of Engineering University of St. Thomas Ken Caldeira Senior Scientist Department of Global Ecology Carnegie Institution James Hansen Research Scientist The International Research Institute for Climate and Society The Earth Institute, Columbia University Michael MacCracken Chief Scientist for Climate Change Programs Climate Institute Michael E. Mann Professor of Meteorology Director, Earth System Science Center The Pennsylvania State University James McCarthy Alexander Agassiz Professor of Biological Oceanography Harvard University Michael Oppenheimer Albert G. Milbank Professor of Geosciences and International Affairs Woodrow Wilson School and Department of Geosciences Princeton University Raymond T. Pierrehumbert Louis Block Professor in the Geophysical Sciences The University of Chicago Richard Somerville Distinguished Professor Emeritus and Research Professor Scripps Institution of Oceanography George M. Woodwell Founder, Director Emeritus, and Senior Scientist Woods Hole Research Center _Affiliations are listed for identification purposes only._