Posted on 02/26/2014 12:23:41 PM PST by jazusamo
Sen. Barbara Boxer wants to add a new element to the Keystone XL oil pipeline debate: its effects on health.
The California Democrat claims negative health effects from the proposed pipeline's development were ignored by the State Department's environmental impact review.
"The Environmental Impact Statement was woefully inadequate when it came to exploring human impacts of the pipeline," Boxer said Wednesday at a press conference held with Sen. Sheldon Whitehouse (D-R.I.) and anti-Keystone XL activists and environmentalists. She said Keystone will add pollutants to the air that will increase the likelihood of peopel getting cancer or heart disease.
"I do believe the public health impacts are something that average people can really relate to because they know cancer is the second leading cause of death in this country — heart disease is number one -— and all of this filthy air contributes to both of those," she said.
Boxer and Whitehouse will send a letter to Secretary of State John Kerry detailing the health impacts of the pipeline, which they hope he will consider when determining whether Keystone XL is in the nation's best interests.
The State Department is currently in the national determination phase of its review, which lasts for 90 days. While the department's environmental analysis said the pipeline developed by TransCanada would not significantly increase greenhouse gas emissions, Boxer claims more information is needed on the human impacts.
"As tar sands oil flows to our gulf coast refineries it will increase toxic pollution that already plagues communities like Port Arthur Texas, which is near many refineries that will process tar sands," Boxer said.
Boxer said hearings on the topic are a possibility but nothing is set in stone. Her goal is to get President Obama and Kerry's attention.
Advocates of the pipeline say it would not exacerbate pollution and would provide a safer alternative than railcars for transporting crude oil. Those supporting the pipeline, which would carry crude from oil sands in Alberta, Canada, to Gulf refineries, argue opponents are simply trying to delay an already dragged out process.
"Keystone XL clearly passes President Obama's climate test, so opponents are scrambling to find any other way to slow down the process," said Katie Brown, spokeswoman for industry-supported group Oil Sands Fact Check, in a statement.
Boxer made the push one day after fellow Democrat Rep. Raúl Grijalva (Ariz.) said the Government Accountability Office told him it would probe the process of State's environmental analysis for the pipeline.
A GAO spokesmen said Grijalva's request will go through the normal review process, which takes a few weeks. Boxer mentioned she plans to formally back Grijalva's request to have the GAO conduct an investigation.
Obama recently told governors gathered at the White House that a decision on the $5.4 billion project would be made in "a couple of months."
..........and here I was all the while thinking that train cancer had been eradicated!
All you need to know is that big 0 contributor Warren Buffett owns the trains carrying the Canadian oil because we have no Pipeline. It’s been an enviro hazard in towns where the trains derailed, but since when would Eco facts change their mind?
After living in Southern California, and seeing the place that was, at one time the family property, which is under the Long Beach Canal and the Standard Oil right-of-ways on the parts of the foregone property not inundated by the Canal, I look again at Senator Boxer’s statements, and have a reply”
“The only pipeline that I see creating any carcinogens dangerous to human beings, is the Senator’s, having teeth at one point of origin, and at the terminus, a receptacle, inviting her voiced opinions to be securely planted there.”
All you need to know is that big 0 contributor Warren Buffett owns the trains carrying the Canadian oil because we have no Pipeline. It’s been an enviro hazard in towns where the trains derailed, but since when would Eco facts change their mind?
That is “Senator Idiot” to you.
Exactly, it is going to get to the refineries one way or another, so her point is moot.
I didn’t know she was a medical doctor. And exactly how many times has she been to Port Arthur, Texas? Good grief.
What I wish would happen - if a state can produce oil, gas or coal and they don’t, they should have everything that runs on oil, gas or coal or anything produced by oil, gas or coal immediately shut off. Wonder how many minutes it would take for them to holler uncle.
she is cancer
We are going to run the same amount of oil through our refineries, barring any other changes.
So maybe some OPEC oil gets replaced with Canadian.
The pipeline would not mean more refinery output, just a change in where the input came from.
What incredible stupidity.
“effected” -———> AFFECTED
Boxer is a dolt. The oil is extracted from the tar sands in Canada and only the crude oil is to be shipped via the pipe line. Criticism that the tar sands extraction process is environmentally damaging is moot since the Canadians are already doing this and will sell their oil to China if not the US. Refineries in Texas and the Gulf will still have to comply with the stringent US air quality standards no different than they do now. Boxer should consider that in absence of the Keystone pipe line to the US, Canada plans to ship this oil by their own pipe line and load it on tankers selling it to China. The Chinese have the worst record in the world for environmental protection and will use the oil in ways that will spew far more CO2 into the atmosphere than if the oil were used in the US. Chinese oil tankers can also have accidents where the oil will devastate the environment...remember the Exon Valdez.
She is such an idiot. Yet she must be smarter than the people who vote for her.
And I’m supposed to believe the GOPe and others that say “we lost the Senate in 2010 and 2012 because the Tea Party candidates said stupid things” when they ignore the incredibly MORONIC and STUPID crap that comes out of the Dems mouth everyday?
Todd Akin is an idiot and this bimbo is not?
Darn.
From the headline I thought someone had taught a dog how to talk.
Then again, maybe...
There used to be a few democrats who were not shameless demagogues, but they were driven from the party more than 30 years ago.
Good info to post around. The libs constantly bring up the Kosh Brothers.
“And exactly how many times has she been to Port Arthur, Texas?”
It’s so touching that Baba Boxer cares so much for the little people in Port Arthur. I’ll bet they had no idea.
Sen. Barbara Feces-brain couldn’t find Port Arthur on a map. Or Texas either. One of her minions supplied the geographic reference to her so she could use it for effect.
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