CSM: Obama fast-tracks part of Keystone XL pipeline

[FuzzyLumpkins]

i just want to say that all of you that accuse me of being a democrat need to douse yourselves in kerosene and light a fire. Without further ado:


In a bid to defuse Republicans' claims he isn't doing enough to boost US energy security or squelch soaring gasoline prices, President Obama on Wednesday embraced a plan to grant fast-track status to the proposed southern leg of the controversial Keystone XL pipeline.

“Unresolved concerns” over the original 1,700-mile pipeline from Alberta to the Gulf Coast refineries – including energy security, economic effects, and environmental impacts – caused Mr. Obama in January to reject the overall pipeline application. Environmentalists cheered the president then, while noting Obama's caveat that the decision could change after environmental reviews are completed. But few expected the White House to be banging the drum for Keystone XL so soon.

In a visit Thursday to Cushing, Okla., which touts itself as the "pipeline crossroads of the world," the president unveiled his support for a smaller 500-mile portion of the pipeline – a southern leg that would run to Gulf Coast refineries in Port Arthur, Texas. The longer northern portion of the route – which crosses the environmentally sensitive Ogallala Aquifer and Nebraska's Sandhills – would still face intensive review, he said.

Theres more to be fond at http://www.csmonitor.com/USA/Politics/2012/0322/Obama-fast-tracks-part-of-Keystone-XL-pipeline-video

[spursncowboys]

But this won't make a difference on gas prices. It won't create jobs.

[FuzzyLumpkins]

But this won't make a difference on gas prices. It won't create jobs.

It will increase midwest gas prices.

As for jobs its already been reported what labor pool they typically pull from. Have you even read the Cornell report or are you one of those that think top universities should be trusted less than politicians and PACs?

[spursncowboys]

It will increase midwest gas prices.

As for jobs its already been reported what labor pool they typically pull from. Have you even read the Cornell report or are you one of those that think top universities should be trusted less than politicians and PACs?

I work on average 15 hours. then I go home and make training plans and take care of my three kids so no I don't read every effin report or read every news article about every freaking subject.

[FuzzyLumpkins]

I work on average 15 hours. then I go home and make training plans and take care of my three kids so no I don't read every effin report or read every news article about every freaking subject.

http://www.ilr.cornell.edu/globallaborinstitute/research/upload/GLI_KeystoneXL_Reportpdf.pdf

They talk about supply chains and labor markets.

And at a certain point perhaps you should refrain from coming to judgement rather than take obvious nonobjective sources at their word and parroting their opinions as your own.

[ChumpDumper]

But this won't make a difference on gas prices.True.

You've been paying attention!

Good boy!

[FuzzyLumpkins]

I will say this. From a geopolitical perspective, the pipeline makes sense from a conservative standpoint. If Canadian oil goes to Texas then Texas refines it and sells it at a markup across the Atlantic to Europe which helps them out tremendously. Europe has had some widely publicized economic woes of its own. They also are our allies.

China is the alternate location for the Canadians to send it but they have been experiencing economic growth for decades at this point. Between them and Russia, they control most of the Eurasian continent's natural resources.

I never hear that argument.

[ChumpDumper]

The fast tracking of that section makes sense. Why are conservatives so eager to build a pipeline right through the aquifer without a second thought?

[boutons_deux]

"build a pipeline right through the aquifer"

it's not their aquifer. (oil) profits trump human health, water, land, air. That's why the Repugs and Randian Paul want to kill the EPA and Clean Water Act.

[spursncowboys]

Doesn't Europe get most of their oil from russia?

[RandomGuy]

Doesn't Europe get most of their oil from russia?

Russia is the largest exporter of oil to the EU. As of 2009, that was approximately 33%.

So, no, they do not get most of their oil from Russia.

Russia's overall production is due to keep sliding, by most analyses I have seen. Not enough re-investment

[boutons_deux]

Russia also supplies huge amounts of natural gas to Europe.

[SnakeBoy]

Have you even read the Cornell report or are you one of those that think top universities should be trusted less than politicians and PACs?

Please, you really want to claim a report from Cornell Global Labor Institute is less biased than any other source?

[FuzzyLumpkins]

Please, you really want to claim a report from Cornell Global Labor Institute is less biased than any other source?

What conflict of interest exists? I can point to ones in funding from the Heritage Institute. I know they work with unions but exactly how does something that is supposed to generate jobs become against a unions interests. I can think of reasons why chevron, exxon and the like would do quite a bit to sell you the pipeline.

[RandomGuy]

What conflict of interest exists? I can point to ones in funding from the Heritage Institute. I know they work with unions but exactly how does something that is supposed to generate jobs become against a unions interests. I can think of reasons why chevron, exxon and the like would do quite a bit to sell you the pipeline.

Spoken like an actual critical thinker.

[RandomGuy]

I work on average 15 hours. then I go home and make training plans and take care of my three kids so no I don't read every effin report or read every news article about every freaking subject.

You're right.

It is soooo much easier to bypass things like critical thinking and just accept others' emotionally appealing pre-written fluff op-eds on subjects.

I mean doing some minor fact checking through google is just so hard. It takes like whole minutes or something. Who has time for that? Especially when one can be spoon-fed ready made talking points.

[DarrinS]

alternative energy is for pussyfootin lightloafing mamas boys

give me some of that sweet middle eastern crude like a real american


We get more oil from Canada than any other country.

[RandomGuy]

We get more oil from Canada than any other country.

Are the Canadian companies free to sell that oil to anyone they want to?

[Winehole23]

In just the first week of his second term, President Obama is being confronted with what could become one of the most controversial decisions of his presidency: what do with the Keystone XL pipeline.


Mr. Obama put off the decision twice, citing concerns that the 1,700-mile pipeline extensions present environmental safety concerns in Nebraska. The original plans had it stretching along the Ogallala Aquifer, an underground water supply that is the greatest irrigation source to US farmland, supplying eight states. Sixty-five percent of the aquifer is in Nebraska, which makes the state ground zero in the debate over the pipeline.


The president ultimately blocked the pipeline’s approval in January 2012, which then allowed TransCanada, the operator based in Calgary, Alberta, to draft a new proposal in May.



On Tuesday, Nebraska Gov. Dave Heineman (R), who previously hesitated at approving the project, sent Obama and Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton a letter saying he is now satisfied with the pipeline’s new routing. The potential environmental risks, he says, are lessened.


TransCanada is set to carry $200 million in third-party liability insurance to cover any cleanup costs, Governor Heineman says in the letter. He also writes that the proposed reroute “avoids many areas of fragile soils in Northern Nebraska” and “avoids a shallow groundwater area ... where the aquifer is thin, wells are shallow, and bedrock is close to the surface.”


The pipeline construction would generate $418 million in economic benefits to the state and about $13 million in property-tax revenues in its first year of operation, Heineman adds.

http://www.csmonitor.com/Environment/2013/0123/Keystone-XL-pipeline-Nebraska-s-approval-puts-Obama-in-a-bind

[Th'Pusher]

http://www.csmonitor.com/Environment/2013/0123/Keystone-XL-pipeline-Nebraska-s-approval-puts-Obama-in-a-bind
Anyone want to bet O does not approve this pipeline? I bet he will green light it.

[TeyshaBlue]

It's already a done deal I'm bettin.

[coyotes_geek]

It will happen. Obama just wanted to push the decision past the election.

[CosmicCowboy]

Considering how his base/peers despise oil sand production he may just surprise you guys.

[coyotes_geek]

Obama wants to take credit for jobs being created so he'll tell the greenies it's all good and that he made the Keystone guys jump through some hoops and won't really care whether or not they buy it. The recession has pretty much neutered the greenies for the time being.

[Th'Pusher]

The way I look at it is the shit is getting extracted, refined and burned regardless, so we might as well get a few jobs out of it and refine the stuff in our refineries. Valero has a big stake in it so there is a local component as well.

[ElNono]

Greenies is disappoint...

http://i50.tinypic.com/4j9eo7.jpg

[ChumpDumper]

Considering how his base/peers despise oil sand production he may just surprise you guys.Yeah, if Obama's not careful, he might not get the 2016 Democratic nomination.

[boutons_deux]

tar oil requires so much energy to get it out and flowing that the Japs are proposing to build a nuclear plant up just for tar sands extraction.

Is there any net energy gain from tar sands after the energy for extraction, transport, and refining are counted? and the flow rate is economical?

[TeyshaBlue]

tar oil requires so much energy to get it out and flowing that the Japs are proposing to build a nuclear plant up just for tar sands extraction.

Is there any net energy gain from tar sands after the energy for extraction, transport, and refining are counted? and the flow rate is economical?

That's a moving target as pricing and availability continues to be volatile. Right now, it's close to a push and there is some retraction in that market.

http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052970204005004578080733669452700.html

[Th'Pusher]

That's a moving target as pricing and availability continues to be volatile. Right now, it's close to a push and there is some retraction in that market.

http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052970204005004578080733669452700.html

meaningful information as a product of a BD TB interaction is always plus.

[Drachen]

meaningful information as a product of a BD TB interaction is always plus.

GFY!

[TeyshaBlue]

meaningful information as a product of a BD TB interaction is always plus.

It's fools gold, tbh.:p:

[Drachen]

I just cant wait until TB posts a picture and then we see that his photobucket account is "photobucket.com/e632/thegreatmotherfuckingboutons/js893jlkjsi3lr.jpg"

[TeyshaBlue]

I just cant wait until TB posts a picture and then we see that his photobucket account is "photobucket.com/e632/thegreatmotherfuckingboutons/js893jlkjsi3lr.jpg"

Guess which folder I use for boutons posts.


http://i3.photobucket.com/albums/y64/teyshablue/Subscriptions_zps7984977d.jpg

[Drachen]

touche'

You opened a new photobucket account very quickly.

[FuzzyLumpkins]

Yay! we are selling our domestic supplies to foreign countries so the current generation in control can make money and the generations to come are going to have to pay more.

I am so tired of the boomers. No vision or concern beyond the immediate selfish desire.

[TeyshaBlue]

Yay! we are selling our domestic supplies to foreign countries so the current generation in control can make money and the generations to come are going to have to pay more.

I am so tired of the boomers. No vision or concern beyond the immediate selfish desire.

When did we annex Canada?:p:

[TeyshaBlue]

BTW, Fuzzy, that's a gross over simplification worthy of boutons.

There are two opposing straw camps with the same output.

Camp Boomer Strawman: Let's pull it all outta the ground now and make bank. Screw the children.

Camp Greenie Strawman: We should be completely independent of Carbon fuel sources in 30 years. Think of the children.

Outcome: Children gets no oils.

A viable energy source emerges in either scenario. Greed pushes camp 1. Stewardship pushes camp 2.

[boutons_deux]

Tar oil crap is going to Port Arthur untaxed free enterprise zone and then exported to central/south America.

Americans lose ALL eminent domain land grabs, accept all the risk and cleanup of spills (Yellowstone river STILL ain't clean), suck in all the pollution from refining (and refinery explosions), and see none of the tar products and NO reduction in fuel prices.

[TeyshaBlue]

Americans grab a fair number of jobs and local taxes off of the pipeline tho.

[TeyshaBlue]

The eminent domain grab is an ender for me, personally. I support the pipeline, but I do not support using ED for a purpose that is clearly not a public interest project.

[TeyshaBlue]

Hey XL, you want a pipeline? Better pile up some sheckles.

[boutons_deux]

The eminent domain grab is an ender for me, personally. I support the pipeline, but I do not support using ED for a purpose that is clearly not a public interest project.

the ED justification is that the pipeline is a "common carrier", which is somehow construed as "for the common good", when in fact only the corporations and their investors benefit.

[TeyshaBlue]

the ED justification is that the pipeline is a "common carrier", which is somehow construed as "for the common good", when in fact only the corporations and their investors benefit.

Agreed. It just doesn't fit the definition of common good.

[FuzzyLumpkins]

Sure it's a simplification but the net result is the same. It is a macro issue with a tremendous amount of what is NA supply being moved south and out. Increase production and import capacity of 'local' oil that would otherwise be primarily used for 'local' use. One of the reason for the current low oil prices is because of the glut that hits the midwest because the pipeline doesn't go south to gulf refineries en masse.

What do you think is going to happen when the oil is able to hit the gulf refineries and then loaded onto tankers to ship to Europe for over twice the price that they get here? We are going to see gas prices rise. The only people that this helps are 10k or so oilco workers, oilco elites --which we both know are neither 'US' or 'Canadian' but instead world wide-- as well as European consumers. I mean I guess we are helping our NATO allies and they are hurting but for the American consumer we get to see price rises. The oil is already here and the only place it can go from the coast is out.

I don't know what boutox's stance is nor do I really care but I absolutely loathe this. There is some 'good' here but it is hardly for the common man.