Thousands Protest Canada-US Pipeline

Thousands of protesters opposed to a new oil pipeline from Canada to the United States circle the White House grounds on Sunday.

 

They're trying to press President Barack Obama to reject the project for environmental reasons.              

 

Opponents to TransCanada Corp's Keystone XL pipeline, which is to transport crude produced from oil sands, argue that the carbon emissions produced while extracting oil from the sands would worsen climate change.  

            

Men and women, many of them wearing orange vests with "Stop the pipeline" printed on them, lined up around the White House grounds.

 

The pipeline controversy threatens to loom over the 2012 presidential race. 

 

Obama faces political pitfalls whether his administration approves or rejects the project.  

            

A decision in favor would support Obama's goal of creating jobs and diversifying U.S. energy sources.

 

On the other hand, it would alienate core Democratic supporters who are already disappointed by his progress in fighting climate change.   

           

Obama was not at the White House when the protest took place.