Daniel Causer’s April 23rd paean to the Alaskan/Keystone XL pipelines and the April 24th Copley editorial contain inaccuracies.
Keystone XL will not aid America in being the world’s biggest energy producer or lessen dependence on foreign oil. It will transport Canadian oil, not domestic oil, to American refineries for export.
Midwestern refineries will be drained of cheap Canadian crude sent to export-oriented refineries on the Gulf Coast increasing the cost of American gasoline (tarsandsaction.org). This refutes Copley’s claim of Keystone XL aiding the middle class (unless Americans want to pay more at the pump, a somewhat unlikely circumstance).
Oil tax subsidies will likely prevent Keystone XL from significantly contributing to paying down the national debt.
Beauty is in the eye of the beholder. A pipeline in the wilderness may be sublime to some, an abomination to others.
Contradicting Copley, Keystone XL will create 3,900 temporary construction jobs and 35 permanent jobs (verified by politifact.com). It’s not a jobs program by any stretch of the imagination unless Copley’s counting method is “one… two… three… many.”
Also contradicting Copley, the biggest Keystone XL issue is environmental risk. A rupture in Keystone XL could cause a BP style oil spill in America’s heartland over the source of fresh drinking water for 2 million people.
North Dakota, the number two oil producing state after Texas, has had 300 pipeline spills over two years. Many spills go undisclosed because of a lack of a legal requirement regarding such.
The Exxon Mobile pipeline in Mayflower, Ark., burst releasing 210,000 gallons of heavy Canadian crude. Oil companies in general — public relations spin not withstanding — have repeatedly shown themselves to be irresponsible as custodians of the environment even if local populations are being poisoned. Ask the people in Mayflower, Ark.
As to Copley’s “environmental protest hobbies” snark, protesters speak for the earth and future generations. Oil companies, having zero regard for the environment or anyone’s grandchildren, want only profit, environment be damned. In this pursuit they have gifted us with the Exxon Valdez, BP and Mayflower disasters, Keystone XL distortions and price gouging on locally refined gasoline.
Gene Johnson
Hazel Hurst
