The proposed Keystone XL pipeline, if approved by the United States, Department of State and President Obama, it will be a 1661 mile pipeline running from Canada to the coasts of Texas and Louisiana. Tar sand extraction and production have been called by proponents as the salvation to America’s oil crisis, and a way to end dependency on Middle East fuel. Yet many don’t realize that tar sands have far reaching global impacts. These impacts will have disastrous implications on the environment, economy and political ethics.
Let’s start with the environment; tar sand removal requires three processes, extraction, separation, and upgrading. There are two methods of extraction used to get to the tar sands. For surface tar sands, open pit mining or strip mining is used to gather the material. Open pit and strip mining destroy the Boreal Forest, and its ecosystem. You don’t think it is a big deal; think again, the area for tar sands removal in Canada covers 55,000 square miles. Imagine the size of Florida losing its migratory birds, forests, and then filling large areas with toxic water ponds.
The other method of extraction is referred to as an in situ method. In situ methods are used for deep level extraction. There are many different in situ methods, all of which require injecting steam and or solvents deep below the surface to loosen the bitumen. Unfortunately, current research is limited into the solvents being utilized. In situ methods are destructive and produce many hazards. Air emission results from in situ oil extractions in Canada include the following pollutants, benzene, cadmium, mercury, hydrogen sulphide, sulphur dioxide, nitrogen oxide, and carbon dioxide. (http://www.scribd.com/doc/52419887/Deep-Trouble-the-Reality-of-in-Situ-Tar-Sands-Operations) During the separation process large amounts of heated water are used. It takes approximately 3 barrels of water to produce one barrel of oil. Initial claims by companies extracting tar sands stated in initial applications that most water would be recycled. But that is not the case one extraction location requires 17,000 cubic meters of water per day. Friends of the Earth website estimates that 400 million gallons of water a day end up in toxic waste dumps. As a result, rivers, and ponds will be depleted of fresh water as more oil is produced, and more toxic waste dumps will be created.
There are even more environmental impacts. Tar sand oil production emits 3 times more carbon dioxide then the average barrel of conventional oil. This will only accelerate the ppm of C02 in the atmosphere which is currently at 392 ppm. The designated safe level of C02 in the atmosphere is 350 ppm. The current level of C02 being so high is causing global temperatures to rise and hence why we have climate change. (350.org) Passing the Keystone Pipeline XL, will destroy the Boreal Forest and surrounding ecosystems, increase water usage and create water shortages for local communities, create toxic waste dumps and increase the level of CO2 in the environment.
If you are not an environmentalist and don’t believe in climate change or don’t care about the environment being degraded for profit look at the economic side. The numbers of jobs this project will create are over inflated and minimal at best. The permit application for Keystone XL to the State Department indicated that the workforce at its peak would be about 3,500-4,200. (Tarsandsaction.org). The US government will not get any revenue from this project because it is in a free trade zone so therefore tax free to the corporation. Not only will the United States not make a profit through taxes, etc gas prices will increase approximately 20 cents per gallon. So for all of the promises of job creation and lower gas prices, we now know that neither will happen.
If you still are not persuaded by the environmental severity this will cause or the heavy economic impact it will have than what about the impact to you and me?
A rupture in the Keystone XL pipeline could cause a BP style oil spill in America’s heartland, the source of fresh drinking water for 2 million people. Water is a necessity for everyone, not only for human consumption but for farming, sanitation, and business. Keystone XL pipeline is destroying vital resources we need to live and survive. One of NASA’s top scientists stated that fully developing the tar sands in Canada would mean “essentially game over” for the climate. (Tar Sands Action.org), but it I believe it even goes further than the climate.
Future writings will update the reader on the implications of political ethics and expand on the economics of the project.
Thank you for raising serious considerations about the Keystone pipeline and our country's oil dependency. It was discerning to me to learn this week that the Obama administration has hired a "senior advisor" for this campaign who was a former lobbyist for TransCanada that is planning to build the pipeline. It certainly raises a lot of political concern why this government chooses only to hear advisement from such a prejudicial source. Keep up your efforts, as we all need to hear balanced, well-informed data before embarking on a project with such serious environmental impact. I am lookng forward to your future writings.
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