But we have a great opportunity to stop this project cold -- if you’re with us. 

Here’s the situation: right now, we are setting up strategic meetings with key investors, credit ratings agencies and portfolio managers to block financing for the project and make sure it’s never built.  And together with the Tsleil-Waututh First Nation in Vancouver, we can make sure these influential investors and ratings agencies know how much risk, uncertainty and opposition there is to this dangerous project.

The National Energy Board’s announcement last week says that it believes the Kinder Morgan  pipeline is in the national interest, despite significant adverse effects on endangered southern resident killer whales and Indigenous rights. 

Want proof that shareholder and investor work is a powerful way to stop a pipeline? Last spring, we met with key institutional investors in Kinder Morgan -- when Kinder Morgan’s share price was at a 5 year high. Since that day, their share price has fallen 60%, and they had to cut their dividend by 75% in order to avoid being downgraded to junk bond status. 

While we can’t take credit for this entirely, we know that investors were shocked to learn that the story they’ve been hearing from Kinder Morgan management was not the whole story.  After hearing about the strong opposition to this project, they began to take a closer look.

This year, we are expanding the scope of our meetings to create more impact. Portfolio managers decide whether or not to invest in companies and how much, making them incredibly influential. Credit ratings agencies have already nearly downgraded KMI to junk bond status, and we will meet with them to make sure they know how risky the Kinder Morgan tar sands pipeline project is. 

People power is working to stop Kinder Morgan. Already two of its other pipeline projects have been stopped thanks to the work of local communities. 

For investors, the Kinder Morgan tar sands project is a shaky investment at best. Combine all of that with the Tsleil-Waututh’s legal case against the project (which SumOfUs members have generously helped support!), as well as growing First Nation and local community opposition, it’s clear that we can stop this project if we come together now. 

Just last week, Lisa, our capital markets manager, traveled with Rueben George of the Tsleil- Waututh Nation to Kinder Morgan’s Annual General Meeting to present two shareholder resolutions on behalf of some of the largest pension funds in the United States. There, we garnered significant votes on key motions, and helped make sure that Kinder Morgan executives, investors and the public know what’s at stake from this project. 

We’re having a major impact -- and I know that we can stop this project together.