Oklahoma Sierra Club celebrating Keystone XL defeat

The Oklahoma chapter of the Sierra Club is throwing a party to celebrate the Obama administration’s decision last month to reject a presidential permit for the proposed Keystone XL pipeline.

The party at Bell Isle Brewery is open to all, according to the invite on the chapter’s website signed by director David Ocamb. Festivities begin at 5:30 p.m.

The timing seems a little odd, given that developer TransCanada this week announced plans to build the pipeline segment between Cushing’s oil storage hub and refineries along the Gulf Coast.

Ocamb said the party has been in the works for months, but chapter members will address their continuing opposition to the project at tonight’s gathering.

Oklahoma producers praised the move by TransCanada, but it was decried by Ocamb on Monday.

“In yet another attempt to mislead Oklahomans, TransCanada claims a pipeline built to carry tar sands (diluted bitumen) will alleviate an oil glut at Cushing. These are two very different substances and you cannot mix the two together in a pipeline. Thus, this will not reduce oil prices or the price of gasoline at the pump and, in point of fact, will potentially increase the price of gasoline since tar sands will not have a pathway to export.”

The new project still must get some federal permits, but it doesn’t require a presidential permit since it doesn’t cross a national border.

Thank you for joining our conversation on Power Play. We encourage your discussion but ask that you stay within the bounds of our commenting and posting policy.