Your Opinion: Proposed pipeline project opposed

Dear Editor:

Proponents of the proposed Keystone XL Pipeline cite job creation and energy security in support of the project. When all aspects of the project are examined, the pipeline proves to be a bad idea.

It would move crude oil extracted from Canadian tar sands some 1,500 miles to refineries on the Gulf Coast. Tarsands oil in particularly dirty; the extraction process produces more carbon dioxide emissions than other crude oil and it requires vast amounts of water. That water is stored in tailings ponds which can be a source of heavy-metal pollution.

The pipeline would cross major rivers and drinking-water aquifers, creating the threat of damage from spills. Existing Keystone and other Canadian pipelines in the upper Midwest have been responsible for a number of spills. Refining tar-sands oil is also particularly bad for air quality; additional carbon, sulfur and nitrous oxides would be emitted in the Gulf area.

Ironically, most of the refined product would be shipped out of the country (the US is now a net exporter of refined oil products.) The Cornell Global Labor Institute points out that the industry greatly exaggerates the number of jobs created - most of the jobs would be temporary and even a net loss of jobs may result when all factors, including higher gas prices and climate change are considered. (Gas prices may rise because the relatively cheap Canadian product would no longer be available in the US.)

Most importantly, the country must move ahead rapidly with conversion to clean, renewable energy to mitigate the effects of climate change.

Many automatically endorse any project that praises "jobs" no matter how environmentally destructive, temporary or even nonexistent those jobs may prove to be. The president and Senate initially vetoed the project, but Big Oil is still pushing hard for it, which would doubtless be very profitable for the industry. Let's hope the project can be put to rest permanently.

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