Posted on 12/02/2011 3:30:08 PM PST by Clive
OTTAWA -- Republicans turned up the heat on U.S. President Barack Obama on Friday to reverse his decision to delay what was described at a congressional hearing as the safest oil pipeline ever proposed.
A parade of witnesses appeared at a House sub-committee meeting on energy to defend the safety and economic benefits of the Keystone XL pipeline, and to warn of the consequences should it rupture.
And in between partisan sniping between Democrats and Republicans, pipeline junkies learned Alberta-based TransCanada Corp. has adopted 57 additional safety measures, including 21,000 censors linked to satellites to detect problems.
"This is the most technologically advanced and safest pipeline ever proposed," Rep. Ed Whitfield said, noting XL has a censor every 167 meters to monitor pressure, flow rates and to identify leaks.
Republicans introduced legislation in the Senate this week that would force the State Department to issue a permit within 60 days to kick start the project critics say Obama delayed until after next fall's election to keep his environmental base onside and money flowing to his re-election bid.
Alex Pourbaix, TransCanada's president of energy and oil pipelines, reminded lawmakers no other pipeline has gone through as many reviews and as much scrutiny since the oil giant applied for a construction permit 40 months ago.
The $7 billion pipeline would transport 830,000 barrels of crude daily to the Gulf Coast, where specialized refineries process a similar product from Venezuela.
"This has been by far the most exhaustive and detailed review ever conducted of a crude oil pipeline in the U.S.," said Pourbaix.
Representatives from organized labour pitched their support and the need for the 20,000 shovel-ready jobs XL would produce and spinoff work.
Alternative energy producers and a representative from a Nebraska citizens group opposed to the pipeline asked the committee not to rush the project.
It was the United States, not TransCanada that chose the direct route. Its grounds appear to have been that it was shorter and so involved less real estate and that it crossed fewer rivers.
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Keystone XL = a very large can (24oz) of Beer?
Keep the heat on Obama over this pipeline. Shove those words about “shovel ready jobs” down his lying throat.
21,000 CENSORS? What is it? A guvmint pipeline?
What the hell is wrong with Democrats? have they all lost their minds.
Can they really be this loyal to the POS in the White House.
20,000 jobs, Energy independence from the Middle east.
This is a Nationa Security decision in my mind.
What possible reason can they offer for not wanting this pipeline, other than to give more money to the alterniative energy producers who have already made many of them rich.
We need a Republican President bad, but we need a Repoublican House and Senate even more. A House and senate filled with Real Republicans, not the RINO’s that fill those slots now.
"... and the Titanic is 'unsinkable'."
Personally, yes, keep up the pressure on ODrama. we want and need this for many good reasons.Just don't jinx it.
This whole sordid display is proof positive that BOZ is bent on destroying America from within..
Reroute it to avoid the aquifer and Nebraska.
Somehow in those weird things they call brains, they'd rather see the oil go to China if oil sand development continues without the U.S. pipeline. These people are not sane.
40 Months.
This.
Is.
Insane.
Seriously, though...does anyone even think if they DID make that detour, that the opponents would smile broadly and say "Oh, well then...we are fine with it!"
If the pipe goes over a creek where the Obsidian Striped Borer Beetle lives, that would be the next obstacle. Detour around that...
It will never end. These people are determined to ruin us.
EXACTLY. Well said.
Bamster is paying off his college loans by blocking a pipeline that would lessen Arab political clout. The Saudis do not want anything that would reduce the price of oil. Those palaces are expensive.
21,000 CENSORS?
Methinks that would have the opposite effect of 21,000 sensors.
Oil sands exploitation will continue and the oil will go to China. Bank on it.
“The $7 billion pipeline would transport 830,000 barrels of crude daily to the Gulf Coast, where specialized refineries process a similar product from Venezuela.”
I support the pipeline, but I have to wonder.
Maybe, just maybe, it would make more sense to build a refinery closer to the source?
Short pipeline, new refinery, for the WIN.
Gulf Coast is prone to shutdown due to severe weather, it might make sense to put a refinery or two quite a bit further inland.
NE U.S. still uses a lot of heating oil, a nearby refinery might cut transport cost.
Of course the NIMBY’s and eco-nuts have prevented any new refinery being built for decades.
Maybe the pipe line would be less offensive to them than a new refinery?
Of course we all know the real eco-nut goal is to destroy our way of life by denying us any new source of oil/energy.
I think there is at least one refinery in Kansas already gearing up to take advantage of this line.
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