Keystone XL oil pipeline in doubt as U.S. asked to pause review

Reuters ^ | November 1, 2015 | Valerie Volcovici

[sparklite2]

The Canadian company behind the proposed Keystone XL pipeline on Monday asked the U.S. government to suspend review of the $8 billion project that sparked a political war between environmentalists and the oil industry, a move that could put its fate in the hands of the next U.S. president.

TransCanada Corp's (TRP.TO) move was seen by many as an attempt to avert a rejection from an increasingly environmentally focused President Barack Obama and postpone the decision until after the November 2016 presidential election.

Democratic front-runner Hillary Clinton has said she opposes the pipeline while many Republican candidates support the project for making America less reliant on the Middle East.

[HarleyLady27]

I wonder who might have talked some sense into them...

[Theoria]

'Keystone XL oil pipeline in doubt as U.S. asked to pause review'

Kinda sucks they already took some peoples land.

[JediJones]

an increasingly environmentally focused President Barack Obama

Increasingly global warming alarmist...

[Titus-Maximus]

Canada is America’s greatest ally, and the Democrats spit in her face and trash that relationship.

Remember they said W. Bush was making enemies of our friends around the world? The leftist media loved to say it, even though it wasn’t true. What is really happening is that Obama has trashed all our relationships and deliberately stunted Canada’s economic growth. We hurt Canada, a friend for centuries, and in exchange we become more dependent upon and enrich Middle Eastern petro-terrorist states who hate us. Thank you Obama.

[Smokin' Joe]

Kinda sucks they already took some peoples land.

What land, where?

[Theoria]

Across numerous states and different landowners. They have used eminent domain, as does many other carriers.

[Smokin' Joe]

If you have links which specify that land was actually taken from people, please provide them. I am interested.

[Theoria]

Sure, here is a example from a landowners squatter in Texas. Overall, Keystone has said have they use eminent domain in 2%[2014 article] of all land deals.

[Smokin' Joe]

Thank you!

[knarf]

The land "taken" can't amount to that much

The principle of the thing is, IMO, more important

I'd have no trouble with a pipeline that ended up below the surface thereby giving back to me what was "taken" ... and for which I was compensated ... I can still graze cattle, right ?

The biggest problem I see now is the muzzie loving commie newly elected as Canada's prime mnister

I think HE is a problem and will allow more muzzies into Canada than what is healthy for America

Muzzieas don't want the Canadian north (witness the recent article about freezing muzzies on a bus in Sweden) .... but it's a hop, skip and a jump to Michigan and points south after that.

[familyop]

Canada will do just fine with oil in about a year and a half, and plenty of other nations will be eager to pay much more handsomely for it. Overseas oil transportation costs will be very easy to bear, too, although transportation costs for other products won’t be so easy. People who believe that oil prices are going to stay low for very long are dreaming.

[Theoria]

'The land "taken" can't amount to that much'

Sure, and that is a opinion, but to the 'owner' the amounts vary. I know there is a system already in place for this, but ya never own land if .gov can come along and take it and 'give' it to someone else.

Condemning peoples property, either in the city or out in the country is wrong.

A free market should be used and defenders of freedom should rally to support property rights as well, imho.

[Praxeologue]

The land taken by emminent domain was for the southern portion of Keystone, which has already been completed and is transporting crude. The northern portion is still awaiting approval.

[fatnotlazy]

The pipeline will never be built. Obama has been dangling that opportunity over the heads of Americans for several years now with no intention of allowing it to be built. I expect that around the time he leaves office, he will formally nix the project as one last FU to the America he hates.

[Rodamala]

Condemning peoples property, either in the city or out in the country is wrong.

A free market should be used and defenders of freedom should rally to support property rights as well, imho.

Trumpcat is offended by your words.

[knarf]

I agree and also admit, I know little about HOW land was acquired for the pipeline

Here in SW Pa, a LOT of gas well drilling has been going on for the last 3 or 4 years and I have been compensated very well for the initial "use" of my land (albeit a mile below the surface) and now that the wells have been drilled, fracked and are producing, we receive an acceptable royalty every month

I know people that had the well drilled right on their property ... they retired and moved away ... folks that have a pipeline go across or through their land have had the land recovered, cows graze and (as I understand it, they get a royalty per foot )...

There's a ton of money being given to people just for the gas wells to be under their property

I can live with that

It was, BTW ... all voluntary

We knew up front they were comin' in and the percentages were fantastic.

[jonrick46]

Eminent domain? How much land does a pipe running under ground need?

[jonrick46]

The Global Warming Fascists will keep moving the dial until we have tyranny.

The power to make decisions will be taken away from the individual and concentrated in the hands of Big Government. Because the sinful nature of man will be concentrated into the few, they will make corrupt decisions that will eventually destroy America which is so planned and controlled.

[Smokin' Joe]

The problems with pipeline rights of way include access to the line, easements for expansion or parallel lines, the siting of pumping or pig shooting/recovery stations, monitoring equipment, and that in almost any jurisdiction you cannot build within a certain distance of any buried utility line.

For small landholders the latter is a deal killer.

For them and the others, there are risks, albeit small, of pipeline or surface equipment failure, sometimes catastrophic.

Some people simply are not comfortable with those restrictions, risks, and easements, no matter the compensation.

Usually, the line can be rerouted around such, but not always.

While in most cases title to the land remains with the landholder, the easement can be taken via eminent domain.

While to me this situation is one to be avoided at all costs (I place a very high value on property rights), keep in mind that it is likely not beyond the machinations of environmental groups to purchase land in the path of a proposed line or other development with the express intent of obstructing the project.

Oddly enough the same people who might not oppose such tactics to put a highway in will oppose their use to emplace a pipeline.