Groundhog Day with State Dept conflicts of interest

A statement by Friends of the Earth president Erich Pica alleging systemic conflicts of interest within the U.S. Department of State's review process for the Keystone XL pipeline, specifically regarding the hiring of contractors with oil industry ties.

• Friends of the Earth alleges that the U.S. Department of State has a history of failing to vet contractors for conflicts of interest in the Keystone XL review, citing a previous instance with Cardio Entrix and a current issue with Environmental Resources Management (ERM).
• The author claims the State Department's handling of the Keystone review since 2008 has been characterized by insider influence, a pro-pipeline bias, and the hiring of companies with deep ties to the oil industry, resulting in reports that downplay climate and environmental effects.
• There is a reported divide between the EPA and the scientific community, who view the State Department's report as inadequate regarding climate impacts, and the oil industry and certain members of Congress, who view it as evidence that the pipeline serves the national interest.
• Friends of the Earth calls for Secretary of State Kerry to investigate the awarding of the pipeline review to ERM and to ensure that the environmental impact statement incorporates scientific concerns regarding tar sands development.

APA

Pica, E. (2013). Groundhog Day with State Dept conflicts of interest. Friends of the Earth. https://foe.org/blog/2013-06-groundhog-day-with-state-dept-conflicts-of-interest/

Chicago

Pica, Erich. Groundhog Day with State Dept conflicts of interest. Friends of the Earth, 2013. https://foe.org/blog/2013-06-groundhog-day-with-state-dept-conflicts-of-interest/.

Wikipedia

{{cite press release |last1=Pica |first1=Erich |title=Groundhog Day with State Dept conflicts of interest |publisher=Friends of the Earth |date=11 June 2013 |url=https://foe.org/blog/2013-06-groundhog-day-with-state-dept-conflicts-of-interest/ |access-date=17 August 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@misc{pica2013groundhog, author = {Pica, Erich}, title = {{Groundhog Day with State Dept conflicts of interest}}, publisher = {Friends of the Earth}, year = {2013}, month = jun, url = {https://foe.org/blog/2013-06-groundhog-day-with-state-dept-conflicts-of-interest/}, urldate = {2026-08-17}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }