KeystoneXL

 

What is at stake is Phase4, a second route to the refineries on the Gulf of Mexico for Alberta.



The major environmental concern is the effect on the aquifer which lies below the juncture point. It furnishes water to 30% of the US population, and is already fragile from overuse. The con argument is that over the 50 years of life of this pipeline, one could expect a certain number of spills, and wonder if they can be stopped and cleaned up in an orderly fashion.

Environmental Impact Assessment has one flaw as a procedure: it pits industry against environmentalists in an adversarial procedure. One can fear VW syndrome from industry,where they are tempted to cheat to just get on with it. In truth, a pipeline is meant to be less disruptive than over ground transport. Industry is a stakeholder in environmentalprotection. Engineers are smart people and could see this as an opportunity to innovate.

Both Canada and the US would be moving oil on this pipeline. The leave it in the groundargument is unanswerable, and it is true that the market price for oil is low. But it is low because of abundant supply...

True, Alberta oil is doing ugly things to the landscape. As an industry, the measures forsafety and security for its workers are excellent.

A Canadian firm is the protagonist here; not sure how it ended up not having American partners.