Keystone XL opponents carve anti-pipeline message into field
80-acre artwork with 'Heartland #NoKXL' message created in Nebraska
Opponents of a proposed pipeline to carry Canadian oil south to the U.S. Gulf Coast have carved a message of resistance into a Nebraska field in the project's path.
The 80-acre artwork, which was done last week and reads "Heartland #NoKXL," is the latest protest environmentalists and landowners have employed against TransCanada's proposed Keystone XL pipeline.
The image was created by the farmers, ranchers and Native American tribes of the Cowboy and Indian Alliance in collaboration with artist John Quigley.
Critics of the pipeline want U.S. President Barack Obama to reject the project because they fear it could contaminate groundwater and contribute to pollution.
TransCanada has said the pipeline will have upgraded safety measures, including remote control shut-off valves and frequent inspections. It has already built the southern leg of the pipeline between Oklahoma and Texas.
The section of the project that still needs approval would cross Montana, South Dakota, Nebraska and Kansas.