More Coverage on Keystone XL Pipeline

Dear Editor,
    I hope that the Chronicle will provide more coverage in the future of the legal issues and protests surrounding the construction of the portion of the Keystone XL pipeline within the state of Texas. Not only is the resistance to this pipeline relevant to activism against climate change on a national scale, but it also touches on local issues that are important to many Texans. Recent legal cases, such as the restraining order by Michael Bishop, which was recently approved and then lifted, have brought up questions about property rights, particularly who should have the ability to claim eminent domain as a common carrier. In addition, the harsh responses received by members of Tar Sands Blockade from both local law enforcement and private security hired by TransCanada, in addition to the exorbitant sums at which bail has been set for protesters who have been arrested and the conditions these protesters faced in local jails, raise some grave concerns about treatment of nonviolent protesters in general. Increased coverage on this topic would be of interest to many and contribute to ongoing discussion of these important issues.