FARGO (KFGO-AM) -- Opponents of the keystone pipeline gathered in Fargo to send a message to President Obama. The group held a vigil in front of the federal courthouse Tuesday saying the pipeline will be dangerous to the environment. The protest group fought through frigid temperatures in order to make their statement that the keystone pipeline is a bad idea.
They say the pipeline will not bring any benefit to U.S. citizens because of oil trades with overseas markets. They say it will cause new levels of carbon pollution.
Vigil Organizer Dean Hulse says, "There's no guarantee that any of this oil is going to end up in the United States. We're going to have all the pollution risk transporting this oil across our country and none of the potential reward of ever having this available to us."
The pipeline will primarily be transporting Canadian oil but will also transfer Bakken oil. But the protesters feel it's not a for sure thing that this is a long term solution for Bakken oil transportation and are asking for Senators John Hoeven and Heidi Heitkamp to do what's best for the people of North Dakota.
Protester Todd Leake says, "The last time I checked Senator Hoeven and Senator Heitkamp were Senators from North Dakota and not Senators from Alberta and they're supposed to be working for the people of North Dakota and the United States not for Canada."
There were one hundred fifty vigils held nationwide urging the President to reject the keystone pipeline. The President has already said he would veto the bill that's moving through Congress. But there is a chance lawmakers can get enough votes to override the veto.