Why to stop the Keystone Pipeline?
The Canadian company behind Keystone XL, TC Energy, operates a pipeline which spilled thousands of gallons of oil in South Dakota in 2017 and North Dakota in 2019. Activists and tribal members say the pipeline endangers water quality, breaks tribal land treaties and pipeline construction brings the threat of human trafficking.
Why shut down Keystone Pipeline?
With temperatures from North Dakota to Northern Alberta far below normal, TC Energy’s Keystone pipeline was temporarily shut down on Jan 4, which affected the oil flow through its Hardisty terminal. Almost all of Alberta was under extreme cold warnings, which was expected to last until the weekend.
Why is the Keystone XL pipeline still so disputed?
Why Is the Keystone XL Pipeline Still So Disputed? The Keystone Pipeline system has been the subject of controversy for years as environmentalists and others have fought to prevent construction and expansion of this oil-delivery network.
Why did the Keystone Pipeline shut down?
The Keystone pipeline has not been shut down. It is still moving hundreds of thousands of gallons of oil every day. All that oil passes right through the US, on its way to Asian markets. What was stopped was the building of the XL extension. The XL extension was slated to be built right over the top of the nations largest fresh water aquifer.
How does the Keystone pipeline benefit the economy?
During construction in Canada, Keystone XL will put thousands of Canadians to work and provide numerous economic benefits for communities along the pipeline right-of-way. This will include millions of dollars in additional taxes to municipalities, as well as investments in local community initiatives.
Does the U.S. need the Keystone pipeline?
Ramped up domestic oil production and alternative supply routes have lessened the U.S.'s need for the hundreds of thousands of barrels of oil that would have been pumped daily through the now-cancelled Keystone XL pipeline, some industry experts say.
What are the disadvantages of the Keystone pipeline?
What Are the Cons of the Keystone Pipeline?It would transport one of the most damaging forms of fossil fuels available to us. ... The issues from DAPL are often associated with Keystone XL. ... The interests which have been promoting Keystone have been cutting industry jobs. ... Most support jobs for Keystone XL pay minimum wage.More items...•
Did we get oil from the Keystone pipeline?
The Keystone Pipeline System is an oil pipeline system in Canada and the United States, commissioned in 2010 and owned by TC Energy and as of 31 March 2020 the Government of Alberta....Keystone Pipeline.Keystone XL Pipeline (Phase 4)ToSteele City, NebraskaGeneral informationTypeCrude oilStatusCancelled9 more rows
Why the Keystone XL pipeline should be built?
Why do we need Keystone XL? The U.S. continues to import about 9.1 million barrels of oil a day from 90 countries across the globe. When completed, Keystone XL will play a critical role in connecting the world's third largest oil reserve with the world's largest refining market at the U.S. Gulf Coast.
Why the Keystone pipeline is a bad idea?
The pipeline could endanger many animals and their habitats in the U.S. and Canada. The pipeline passes over areas which provide habitats for 10% of the waterfowl population in the Continental United States.
Why we shouldn't open the Keystone pipeline?
Building the Keystone pipeline and opening up the Tar Sands will negatively impact national and local economies: Burning the recoverable tar sands oil will increase the earth's temperature by a minimum of 2 degree Celsius, which NYU Law School's Environmental Law Center estimates could permanently cut the US GDP by 2.5 ...
Why did they shut down the Keystone pipeline?
Leaks and the pipeline Less than two years before the project was finally pulled, the Keystone tar sands pipeline was temporarily shut down after a spill in North Dakota of reportedly more than 378,000 gallons in late October 2019.
Why would Canadian oil producers choose Keystone XL?
Why Canadian crude oil producers would choose Keystone XL when other pipelines to the US are running well below capacity has much to do with diversifying away from the US market to more lucrative markets in Europe, China, and other Asian countries, Verleger and others argue. Trends seem to support this thesis.
How will the Whitfield pipeline help the price of gasoline?
In an e-mailed statement, Whitfield's press secretary adds that the pipeline “will help lower the price of gasoline by bringing more oil supply to the market ” and says the Department of Energy “specifically states that gasoline prices in all connected markets would go down.”
Why do environmentalists oppose the pipeline?
But others, including environmentalists who oppose the pipeline mainly because extracting oil from tar sands releases more greenhouse gases than other methods of harvesting oil, also argue the pipeline will do little or nothing to boost US energy security and will actually lead to higher oil prices in the Midwest.
How much oil would Keystone XL move?
According to this premise, Keystone XL would move up to 830,000 barrels of Canadian crude south each day, boosting economic activity by billions of dollars and creating thousands of new jobs – though their precise number is hotly disputed.
How long does it take to approve the pipeline?
That bill would strip the president of authority to block the project and give the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission 30 days to approve the pipeline. But most of the heated partisan rhetoric over job creation and gasoline prices glosses over ...
How much did farmers spend on fuel in 2009?
US farmers who spent $12.4 billion on fuel in 2009 could see those costs rise to $15 billion or higher if the pipeline goes through, he projects. At least $500 million of the added cost “would come from the Canadian market manipulation,” he wrote.
Did Obama deny the Keystone pipeline?
Yet in January, Mr. Obama, under pressure by Republicans, reiterated his previous decision to deny permission to build the Keystone XL– at least for now. The pipeline “would not serve the national interest at this time,” Dr. Kerri-Ann Jones, an assistant secretary of State, subsequently told the House subcommittee on Energy and Power, citing “unresolved concerns” including energy security, economic effects and environmental impacts.
How many times has the Keystone pipeline leaked?
Since it first went into operation in 2010, TC Energy’s original Keystone Pipeline System has leaked more than a dozen times; one incident in North Dakota sent a 60-foot, 21,000-gallon geyser of tar sands oil spewing into the air.
What would happen if Keystone XL was fully realized?
A fully realized Keystone XL would lead to more mining of that “nasty stuff” by accelerating the pace at which it’s produced and transported. (Indeed, Keystone XL was viewed as a necessary ingredient in the oil industry’s plans to triple tar sands production by 2030.)
What Is Keystone XL?
The Keystone XL pipeline extension, proposed by TC Energy (then TransCanada) in 2008, was initially designed to transport the planet’s dirtiest fossil fuel, tar sands oil, to market —and fast. As an expansion of the company’s existing Keystone Pipeline System, which has been operating since 2010 (and continues to send Canadian tar sands crude oil from Alberta to various processing hubs in the middle of the United States), the pipeline promised to dramatically increase capacity to process the 168 billion barrels of crude oil locked up under Canada’s boreal forest. It was expected to transport 830,000 barrels of Alberta tar sands oil per day to refineries on the Gulf Coast of Texas.
How much oil would be transported by Keystone XL?
To be precise, it would transport 830,000 barrels of Alber ta tar sands oil per day to refineries on the Gulf Coast of Texas. Some 3 million miles of oil and gas pipelines already run through our country. But Keystone XL wouldn’t be your average pipeline, and tar sand oil isn’t your average crude.
How many jobs will KXL create?
When TC Energy said the pipeline would create nearly 119,000 jobs, a State Department report instead concluded the project would require fewer than 2,000 two-year construction jobs and that the number of full-time, permanent jobs would hover around 35 after construction.
Why is Keystone XL being opposed?
Opposition to Keystone XL centers on the devastating environmental consequences of the project. The pipeline has faced years of sustained protests from environmental activists and organizations; Indigenous communities; religious leaders; and the farmers, ranchers, and business owners along its proposed route. One such protest, a historic act of civil disobedience outside the White House in August 2011, resulted in the arrest of more than 1,200 demonstrators. More than 90 leading scientists and economists have opposed the project, in addition to unions and world leaders such as the Dalai Lama, Archbishop Desmond Tutu, and former president Jimmy Carter (together, these and other Nobel laureates have written letters against the project). In 2014, more than two million comments urging a rejection of the pipeline were submitted to the State Department during a 30-day public comment period.
When will Keystone XL be cancelled?
January 20, 2021 Melissa Denchak. UPDATE: June 9, 2021: TC Energy announced that it is canceling the controversial Keystone XL tar sands pipeline, putting an end to a fossil fuel project that endangered waterways, communities, and the climate, which President Biden denied a key permit for on his first day in office.
Where is Keystone XL pipeline?
The Keystone XL project aims to complete the northern part of a pipeline bringing oil from the tar sands of Alberta, Canada, to the U.S. Gulf Coast. Reuters
How much tax revenue will be generated from Keystone XL?
Construction of Keystone XL would cause a short-term tax revenue increase (primarily from sales and use taxes) of $66 million. Once the pipeline is operating, 27 counties will collect an additional $56 million in taxes. The pipeline won’t affect property values, according to the government.
How many jobs will Keystone XL create?
President Trump on Tuesday predicted the revived projects would create 28,000 jobs in the U.S. But job claims for Keystone XL, the larger of the two, have been all over the map. TransCanada, the owner of the pipeline, said in 2011 that it would create 20,000 direct jobs in the U.S. and support an additional 118,000. The State Department, in a review that ultimately denied the project permit, noted that a total of 42,000 jobs would be created directly and indirectly during the pipeline’s construction, which is estimated to take a year.
What pipelines did Trump build?
President Donald Trump announced Tuesday that construction would move forward on the Keystone XL and Dakota Access pipelines , both of which had stalled under the Obama administration. The decision was a blow to environmental activists and supporters of tribal sovereignty, but was touted by the White House as a great boost to the American economy.
How much will the Dakota Access pipeline generate?
The projects would also increase local tax revenue. Once the Dakota Access pipeline is operational, it will generate about $55 million in property taxes, split across four states, according to estimates.
What happens during the Dakota Access pipeline?
During construction, towns along the pipeline’s path are likely to see local booms in business, as workers spend money on lodging, food and entertainment. This has already happened along the Dakota Access corridor. However, like the construction jobs that fuel it, the boom is temporary.
How much did the BP oil spill cost?
The five-year cleanup of BP’s oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico, starting in 2010, cost the company $62 billion. That doesn’t include the cost of decreased tourism, diminished wildlife and land that becomes unusable. It also doesn’t account for potential long-term health effects.
Why is the Keystone pipeline important?
The Keystone Pipeline Would Create Lower Prices. One of the best reasons to seek North American energy independence through the Keystone Pipeline is that it would result in much lower oil prices and provide a significant economic advantage to the United States. An example of this can be seen in Venezuela. Last year the United States imported ...
What is the goal of the Keystone pipeline?
One of the most exciting and important goals in the future of the United States is to achieve North American energy independence . Imported oil from Canada and Mexico would combine with our domestic resources to completely free the US of fuel dependency from foreign sources. This goal is achievable thanks in part to energy conservation and new developments in the oil and gas industry. The projected heavy crude drawn from Canada via the Keystone Pipeline would assist greatly to make it possible to tap more resources at home. With regards to energy independence, we’ll examine some of the major benefits that would derive from this important pipeline.
How would North American energy independence help the US economy?
North American energy independence would also save the US money in terms of actually creating lower prices. The Keystone XL pipeline would significantly increase the supply of heavy crude oil, thereby lowering the price. North American energy independence would provide a much-needed boost to the economy.
Where does the Keystone pipeline originate?
By contrast, the existing operational phases (1 & 2) of the Keystone Pipeline and the proposed Keystone expansion referred to as Keystone XL (phases 3 & 4) originate from Canada. Canada is a very stable country that is unlikely to see an abrupt reduction of output due to extreme swings in their government or their economic state. Canada is also already one of our main trade partners and a country with whom we are on very good terms. This makes doing business with Canada much easier and more consistent.
Is the Keystone pipeline safer than the rail?
Studies show that based on a ton-mile of freight, a pipeline is about 530% safer than rail transportation, and 50,000% safer than truck transportation. The Keystone XL pipeline is also proposed to incorporate 57 special conditions which are designed to ensure that it is even safer than any other domestic pipeline. Therefore, by moving toward North American energy independence, we also moving toward a safer, less accident prone future.
How much money will the Keystone pipeline contribute to the US economy?
It is believed that the Keystone XL pipeline has the potential to contribute more than $3 billion annually to the US economy once it become operational. It would also create an estimated $2.4 billion (in US dollars) for Canada, which would be split between the government, shareholders, and company reinvestments.
How many jobs will the Keystone pipeline create?
The US State Department has estimated that the construction of the pipeline project could create up to 42,000 jobs over a two-year construction period.
How to remove bitumen from the ground?
According to the New York Times, one method includes using water and natural gas to pump steam into the tar sands , which creates the potential for a toxic runoff. Strip mining is the other option. 2.
How many barrels of oil are in the Keystone pipeline?
The Keystone XL pipeline is a delivery system that is designed to carry over 800,000 barrels of oil sands petroleum per day from Western Canada to oil refineries along the Gulf Coast of the United States. Around half of the pipeline has already been completed, but its construction has always been opposed by various environmentalist groups.
What would happen if Keystone XL went active?
In practical terms: if Keystone XL goes active, it would be the equivalent of adding 5.6 million cars to US roadways every day. 6. Tar sands oil has the potential to be highly corrosive. The oil that will be piped through the Keystone XL extension is some of the most corrosive petroleum that is used today.
Why can Canadian producers raise prices with Keystone?
With Keystone, Canadian producers can raise prices because the quality of the petroleum will be better while they are able to cut into their overhead costs at the same time. 6. The amount of emissions added to the atmosphere from Keystone XL are negligible.
Is the Dakota Access Pipeline related to the Keystone pipeline?
The issues from DAPL are often associated with Keystone XL. The protests from the Dakota Access Pipeline are often associated with the Keystone pipeline. Although the two projects are somewhat similar in what they hope to accomplish, the environmental concerns are slightly different for Keystone.
Why is Keystone XL bad?
The pipeline passes through an active earthquake zone. One bad spill could permanently poison the Ogallala Aquifer, which provides drinking water to millions of people, and 30 percent of our irrigation.
What are the Chinese doing to the world supply chain?
Chinese leaders have seized key elements of the world industrial supply chain, like rare earths. According to our government, they engage in pervasive industrial espionage. They have threatened American companies like Apple, Google and Walmart. In short, they know how to play the game.
Is Keystone pipeline good?
Here is another reason, perhaps the best reason of all: It doesn't do us any good. China, yes. The Koch Brothers (who own the refining capacity that would be used), yes. Us, no.
Does the pipeline pass through earthquake zones?
The pipeline passes through an active earthquake zone. One bad spill could permanently poison the Ogallala Aquifer, which provides drinking water to millions of people, and 30 percent of our irrigation. Here is another reason, perhaps the best reason of all: It doesn’t do us any good. China, yes.
Why is the Keystone pipeline important?
The Keystone XL pipeline was designed to transport oil to the Gulf Coast because refineries in the region are already equipped to process heavier crude oils, like those found in Canada’s Alberta province. The same kind of crude oil comes to the region from Latin America. If the pipeline transfers as much crude oil to the Gulf Coast as ...
Where does Keystone XL pipeline go?
What gets exported. The Keystone XL pipeline will transport crude oil from Alberta, Canada to Nebraska. The oil will then flow through another pipeline to Gulf Coast refineries, where it will be refined into petroleum products like gasoline.
Why did Maine reverse the minimum wage?
After the minimum wage for tipped workers was raised in Maine, the state "reversed that decision due to restaurant employees organizing en masse against the measure."
Does Keystone XL have oil?
The Keystone XL pipeline "doesn’t even have any oil for America.". The Keystone Steele City pumping station in Nebraska. The Keystone XL pipeline is supposed to connect to the station / Credit: Associated Press, 2015.
Which state has the second highest millionaire tax?
New York state has the "second highest millionaires tax in the nation."
Does the Gillibrand pipeline affect gas prices?
The U.S. State Department did not respond to most of Gillibrand’s claim but did comment on how the pipeline could affect gas prices. "As the final Supplemental Environmental Impact Statement makes clear, gas prices throughout the United States are primarily driven by global market factors," a spokesperson said.
Who is building the TransCanada pipeline?
TransCanada, the company building the pipeline, confirmed in an email that the pipeline was designed to reach refineries in the Gulf Coast region.
Root of The Problem
More Production, But Higher Costs For Americans
- Even if the pipeline was already built, it wouldn't help with the price at the pump, Nemet added, noting that the U.S. has already doubled its oil production over the last 15 years. "And yet, we still have $100 per barrel oil." With inflation soaring, gas prices have been increasing for months — hitting an average of $4.33 a gallonon March 11, acco...
Less Oil, Clean Energy Fans Say
- By contrast, Mr. Biden's decision with the International Energy Agency to release 30 million barrels of oilfrom the nation's Strategic Petroleum Reserve puts downward pressure on gas prices in the short-term, Kieve said. The agency will release a total of 60 million barrels of crude to help ease some of the supply disruptions caused by the war Ukraine. "You won't see a lot of environmenta…