A 2008 proposal by international oil-conglomerate TransCanada would have built a 2,000 mile tar sands oil pipeline, originating in Alberta, Canada and running through the United States from Montana to Texas. The pipeline was denounced by environmental groups and concerned citizens living in states through which the pipeline would run. The poor safety record of TransCanada, the continued reliance on dirty, non-renewable energy, and the environmental impact of such a large project on the Nebraska Sandhills and the Ogallala Aquifer sparked concern among millions of Americans.
Winning Connections worked with the Sierra Club, along with other environmental groups, to contact over 10,000 voters in states through which the pipeline was to run, and in the DC area. We strategically targeted environmentally-conscious voters, urging them to attend local town hall meetings to learn more about the KeystoneXL pipeline and how it would affect their communities and the environment around them. We crafted our message to stress the urgency of attending these town halls, as the State Department was set to deliver its recommendation to the White House within the month. The capstone was a rally at the White House that drew over 12,000 people.
Despite the conflation of fictional job creation numbers, a downplaying of the potential for environmental harm, and over $59 million spent by the pro-oil lobby in support of the pipeline, the proposal was rejected by the Obama administration this January. This was due to a concerted grassroots effort by environmental groups to overwhelm the Obama administration with their voices of opposition.