Keystone XL: the drunk guest at the party that just won't leave.....

Uncertain Gains and Certain Losses

Should the pipeline move forward, the only certain winners would be the Canadian and American oil companies that build and maintain it. The number of jobs that would be produced is the subject of great debate. And the income from future oil revenue is so uncertain, the pipeline is even opposed by some fiscal conservatives.

The losses, however, are clear:

• The process begins with a massive strip-mining operation in Alberta that turns wildlife-rich boreal forest into a barren petro-landscape. Undisturbed, this forest absorbs and stores massive quantities of carbon. Destroy the forest, and that carbon stays airborne.
• The mined tar sands must then be cooked, using natural gas, to separate the petroleum from the sand. This leads to dramatic new sources of greenhouse gas emissions compared with conventional oil refining.
• The pipeline will cross 70 rivers and streams, including the Missouri, Platte, Yellowstone, and Arkansas. It crosses aquifers on which millions of Americans rely for drinking water and agricultural irrigation. The likelihood of pipeline leaks and spills is near certain.

Money Talks in Washington

So why is there this much pressure to keep the pipeline alive? It’s about money. It’s about the $145 million that the oil industry poured into Washington lobbying firms in 2011 alone. It’s about the $22,500,000 in campaign contributions made to Congressional candidates in 2010-11.