Posted on 06/25/2013 2:09:51 PM PDT by SeekAndFind
The Keystone XL pipeline will not be built unless it can be shown that it will not lead to a net increase in carbon emissions, President Barack Obama declared in a major Tuesday speech on climate change at Georgetown University, Washington, D.C. While appearing to appease environmentalists, the announcement could mean that the project will move forward.
"Allowing the Keystone pipeline to be built requires a finding that doing so would be in our national interest," he said. "And our national interest will be served only if this project does not significantly exacerbate the problem of carbon pollution. The net effects of the pipeline's impact on our climate will be absolutely critical to determining whether this project is allowed to go forward."
If completed, the Keystone pipeline will carry oil from Alberta, Canada, to refineries in the Gulf Coast. Environmental activists have urged Obama to kill the project, arguing that it will exacerbate climate change and could damage environmentally sensitive areas. Supporters of the pipeline have argued it will boost the economy by providing jobs for the construction of the pipeline and by lowering the costs of energy once the pipeline is complete.
While Obama's announcement came in an ostensibly pro-environmentalist speech, supporters of the pipeline are suggesting that Obama's caveat means the project will eventually move forward. They believe the evidence shows that the pipeline will not lead to a net increase in greenhouse gases. Indeed, the State Department has already released a draft study showing that the pipeline would not significantly add to greenhouse gas emissions.
"The standard the president set today should lead to speedy approval of the Keystone pipeline," Brendan Buck, a spokesman for Speaker of the House John Boehner (R-Ohio), told The Hill. "Based on the lengthy review by the State Department, construction of the pipeline would not have a significant environmental impact. It's time to sign off on Keystone and put Americans to work."
Obama also announced plans to increase regulations on coal power plants and subsidize wind and solar power. The Environmental Protection Agency will finalize new rules for coal plants designed to decrease the amount of carbon dioxide the plant release into the air. Obama has set new deadlines for when these new rules should be in place.
America will "set a bold example" for the rest of the world on climate change, Obama added, and he will encourage developing nations to "join a global low-carbon economy" by helping them utilize non-carbon based fuel sources.
You're giving him too much credit for honesty. An honest politician is one who stays bought. I don't believe that's the case here.
China wants the oil so china wants to kill the pipeline. Obama is achina’s punk.
It’s time for the States to start ignoring Washington!
Now lets see if I get this straight.
If we put in the Keystone, we warm the planet. Bad.
If we don’t, Canada will sell the oil to CHINA and they will warm the planet. Good.
At lest we can watch glo-bull warming increase, with the smug satisfaction that “We didn’t do it!”
FUBO!
I’ve always wondered why we don’t refine it here (Alberta), and pipeline the refined products Stateside? NOW might be a good opportunity to increase employment in Canada by building the infrastructure to refine the crude into finished products and then selling them to the US. It could be ‘sold’ to Zerobama that all the CO2 created by refining the products was ‘spent’ in Canada therefore, adding zero CO2 to the US atmosphere! In fact, it would be a net reduction in gases in the US as there would be less refining there.
In reality, Obamugabe will do ANYTHING to kill Keystone and the US economy.
“Allowing the Keystone pipeline to be built requires a finding that doing so would be in our national interest,” he said. “And our national interest will be served only if this project does not significantly exacerbate the problem of carbon pollution. The net effects of the pipeline’s impact on our climate will be absolutely critical to determining whether this project is allowed to go forward.”
Things like this make me wish time travel were possible. I’d make Rachel Carson wish she’d never heard of environmentalism. Without her insanity, logic alone would probably be guiding this decision.
Less CO2 ? less trees.... the tree huggers will get mad.
Liberals remind me of the White Queen in "Through the Looking Glass." Like her they're trying to force the rest of us to believe in six impossible things before breakfast.
Probably through the purchase of "carbon credits", which certain key people and entities probably have a closet full of.
Sure we could set a bold example.....if we HAD one.
Good God.
The stupid; it hurts.
If only that were true...
Hillary, Harry and Nancy, leading us into 2017. Hillary will be only new face, the other two will be running things after the 2014 Midterm Election.
I have lost all hope that the Ballot Box will prevent the Ship of State from hitting the Iceberg dead center.
I will hope for another outcome, but I just don’t see it happening. The Republic as founded has gone the way of the Wooly Mammoth.
Wanna do something about pollution, Obummer? SHUT YER F**KIN’ MOUTH!
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