Editors, Vineyard Gazette:

This is an open letter to President Obama. I’m writing to express my opposition to the Keystone XL Pipeline from the tar sands of Alberta to The Gulf Coast. It’s time for the country to begin a new paradigm, off fossil fuels. Rejecting the pipeline is a step in that direction.

And part of that new paradigm involves a Greater Canyonlands National Monument in Southern Utah. With all the recent oil and gas development going on in Southern Utah, it’s time to protect some land too. The scenic and wild value of this land should be protected for future generations and would be a welcome addition to your legacy.

Erik Albert, Oak Bluffs