Available for comment: How U.S. midterm elections could affect Canadian energy issues

The Pembina Institute’s Washington-based U.S. policy director is available for comment today

WASHINGTON, D.C. - Danielle Droitsch, U.S. policy director for the Pembina Institute, is available to comment on how the U.S. midterm elections could affect Canadian energy issues.

There are two key areas to watch:

  • The Harper government has stated it will not move forward on climate legislation until the U.S. does, so the shift of power in the U.S. House of Representatives could have significant implications for the development of Canada's climate policy if Canada sticks to this approach.
  • Last week, 11 senators expressed concern about the environmental impacts of the oilsands in the U.S. Despite the newly divided House, it's likely that key members of Congress and the Obama administration will continue to raise concerns about the impacts of oilsands development.

"Regardless of the results of the mid-term elections, Canada needs to focus on the long term - we need a "made-in-Canada" climate policy and a plan to manage the environmental impacts of the oilsands that meets the expectations of Canadians and our primary customer," said Droitsch.

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Contact:

Danielle Droitsch
Director of U.S. Policy, Pembina Institute
Cell: 202-615-3770
Phone: 202-513-6243

Related Material: Blog on U.S. Scrutiny

Biography:

Before joining the Pembina Institute earlier this year, Danielle Droitsch served as the executive director of Water Matters, an Alberta-based organization focused on watershed protection, and directed the Bow Riverkeeper, which is part of the Waterkeeper Alliance. Droitsch has worked for U.S.-based organizations at the national and regional levels on energy, national parks, and watershed protection including the National Parks Conservation Association. She has authored a number of publications on a range of law and policy issues under both Canadian and United States environmental laws, and holds a degree in law from the University of Tennessee and undergraduate degrees in science and history  from James Madison University.

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