U City Mayor Signs Letter to Pres. Obama Opposing Canada-to-Texas Pipeline

University City Mayor Shelley Welsch has joined 102 other U.S. mayors opposing a Canada-to-Texas pipeline, by signing a letter to President Barack Obama critical of the Keystone XL project.

State Department officials last week called a timeout on the project, saying they would use the pause to find a route for the pipeline away from Nebraska’s Sand Hills.

The letter says: "Expansion of high carbon fuels such as tar sands undermine hard work by local communities everywhere to fight climate change, reduce dependence on oil, and create a clean energy future. We ask that you do not grant a presidential permit for the proposed Keystone XL pipeline."

The environmental group Natural Resources Defense Council is behind the letter dated November 16th.

"We write you today as local government leaders who are gravely concerned that expansion of tar sands oil imports will increase our dependence on this high carbon fuel for decades to come," reads the letter.

Mayors from 28 states signed the letter. Mayor Welsch was the only mayor in Missouri to sign the letter. Welsch has been a longtime advocate of environmental issues in U City.

• One of the founders and the first President of the Board and the first Executive Director of - a center for outdoor environmental education.
•  One of two founders of the River des Peres Watershed Coalition - whose mission is to preserve, protect, maintain and work to improve the River des Peres.
• When she was on the Council previously, she fought for an environmentally- focused renovation of City Hall, which gained LEED certification. 
• One of her current goals is to make U City the most sustainable city in the St. Louis region. 
• She established the Mayor’s Task Force on University City’s Bike & Walkability.

Supporters of the pipeline, including the American Petroleum Institute, have criticized the Obama administration's decision to delay. API says the pipeline will create jobs and strengthen America's energy and economic security.