WILL OBAMA SIGN IT INTO LAW, THOUGH?
|| By FITSNEWS || It was a big day for the Keystone XL pipeline …
Approved by the GOP-controlled U.S. House last year (but killed by the Democratic-controlled U.S. Senate a month later), the pipeline is moving through the U.S. Congress again. Meanwhile the Nebraska State Supreme court came one vote shy of the supermajority it needed to uphold a lower court ruling against the pipeline.
By a 4-3 vote, the Nebraska high court ruled against the pipeline … but it needed five votes to overturn the lower court ruling.
“Although we have four judges who conclude that (the law authorizing the pipeline) is unconstitutional, we do not have five judges voting on the constitutionality of this enactment,” the court’s ruling stated.
Meanwhile by a 266-153 vote, the U.S. House passed a resolution authorizing the $7 billion, 1,600-mile project that’s supposed to create upwards of 300,000 U.S. jobs – the tenth time it’s done so in the last four years. The only difference this time? The legislation is now expected to pass the U.S. Senate – which is controlled by “Republicans.”
But will it be signed into law by Barack Obama? Don’t bet on it …
Obama has repeatedly blocked the project – and is likely to veto any pipeline legislation that comes his way.
Transcanada – the company pushing for the pipeline – may no longer care what Obama thinks, though. That’s because its leaders have figured out another way to get their oil – 168 billion proven barrels, at last check – where it needs to go.
It’s called Energy East, a proposed $10.7 billion, 2,858-mile pipeline that would carry 1.1 million barrels of crude oil every day from Alberta and Saskatchewan to refineries in eastern Canada.
By comparison, Keystone XL would carry approximately 830,000 barrels of oil a day.
This website has consistently supported this project – which would be an extension of several existing Transcanada pipelines that run through the United States. We simply don’t see any reason why the jobs associated with its construction and operation should go elsewhere.
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76 comments
Well, with oil at $54 a barrel and the oil operations being put on hold in Canada – do we really need this leaky French drain anyway? 300,000 jobs? What – they gonna build it with picks and shovels? Shit – it doesn’t take that many guys to build a new interstate from Canada to Mexico. But hey, maybe it does get built. It will give all the soon to be unemployed oil workers in North Dakota something to do.
How long do you think oil will stay at $54 a barrel? If your answer include “…until the Russian Federation collapses…”, you get a gold star. Then what happens?
until Opec is satisfied that the investors are bankrupt… and then they’ll do it to the next crop of investors.
Spot on max.
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my .unt makes $66 every hour on the internet . She has been fired from work for seven months but last month her income was $12530 just working on the internet for a few hours. navigate to this website;.Spot on…
Until the Shale oil boom is decimated. Colonel – the Saudi’s are after our oil production more than they are after Putin.
Disagree, we’re (the West, the U.S.is small potatoes right now, Canada, Mexico and Venezuela are the big boys) probably next but Russia is number one on their “hit parade”
The pipe construction estimate has the jobs at 4500 for construction, and approximately 25 to operate the pumping stations when the new sections are on line.
I don’t know why a tax and spender hasn’t done so yet.
Damn leaky ass pipelines…
In WWII, the longest pipeline ever built to that point “Big Inch” was planned, surveyed and constructed in just under 18 months. The pipeline was 1,300 miles long and is still in use today. The pipeline is capable of more than 300,000 barrels a day. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Big_Inch
If we could build a safe pipeline in short order, under duress, 60 years ago, surely we can build one today. Build the damn pipeline!
If this is vetoed by the President could it not be said that both Democrats and Republicans are obstructionist?
Actually, Fits doesn’t give a Damn about it or the temporary construction jobs(many of which would likely go to illegals) .
He’s just for it because Obama is against it.
The Koch brothers would likely benefit from it, which explains why Cato/ALG/etc. are for it.
But hey, it’s all “limited government” in the end. Government should stay out of the way of the oligarchy building whatever the fuck they want, and should stay out of the way and not pin them with the liability of the inevitable oil leak devastating the local environment.
With all our environmental laws, oil trade laws and eminent domain laws, if it wasn’t for the fact that it crosses an international border it would’ve been built long ago. Why can’t Obama be as diligent in protecting our southern border.
Congress and the President should not have had a say about this project in the first place.
If it were illegal oil the President would have already used his pen.
“Why can’t Obama be as diligent in protecting our southern border.”
Horseshit
“Congress and the President should not have had a say about this project in the first place.”
I agree, but without the force of Federal law, it’s doubtful they could make eminent domain work the whole way across the US…so there’s that.
It’s odd watching self professed Libertarians lobby for the violation of private property.
I support eminent domain for roads, railway, pipelines, utility lines etc. .. They would be impossible without it. I don’t support it for private development.
“They would be impossible without it.”
Nah, it would just be more expensive. I like property rights myself.
300,000 jobs? How about 40,000 for two years during construction and then about 35-50 to maintain it.
I don’t care if it creates only 35-50 jobs – build the damn thing. Anything that allows us to get further out from under the House of Saud is a good thing.
Anything that allows us to get out from under the House of Saud is a good thing.
What happens when that oil is piped to refineries and shipped out to overseas markets, and has zero impact on our addiction to foreign oil?
Why don’t we build it and find out?
If there is a spill will the clean up cost us a dime?
No it will cost their insurance company a “dime” (or more.)
How will the insurance clean the aquifer? With paper towels, like Exxon used after the Valdez disaster?
Name the major pipeline spills in the last twenty years. Now name the tanker, train and tanker truck spills. Moving anything through a buried, double walled, leak and surge protected pipeline is exponentially safer than any other method of moving a liquid or gaseous product.
It’s like insurance – are you willing to use the same actuarial tables the insurance company uses to decide whether you “need” insurance? Or is your family too important to play games with statistics?
Dad gum, then new fangled horseless carriages are to risky, that dad gum electrfication is dangerous and you’re liable to get struck by lightning if you use that dadburn telephone while it’s raining.
What’s more risky, tankers, tank trucks and trains – or a buried, monitored pipeline?
don’t take a risk you don’t *have* to take.
Actually what we do is manage risks. Risk is acceptable but must be managed. Double walled, under ground pipelines, managed by responsible agents are acceptable risks
I don’t trust you
I’m wounded
Funny how statistics will be used, if they fit.
even if they don’t fit.
That’s right they can be made to say whatever you want.
I don’t mind statistics used deterministically, for instance, providing a 3 sigma confidence margin… at least I know the risk is demonstrably and reasonably small…. but anything but 0 risk to implement something unnecessary that can compromise the integrity of something as important as that aquifer is unacceptable. The income from it would be miniscule, and the failure of the pipeline would be a massive disaster – similar to the foolishness of the risks leading to the failure of regulation in 2008.
0 risk, nothing has 0 risk, you can say it’s about the aquifer but it’s really about fossil fuels.
I have no problem transporting Chlorine, as long as the tanker doesn’t go through a major city.
I don’t have any problem with fuel additives if they don’t cause cancer.
I have no problem with oil pipelines…. none whatsoever.. as long as they aren’t routed over fossil water for no good reason.
The entire pipeline has been built already, so that the remaining bit over the aquifer can be debated apart from the transportation of oil.
Keeping it local:
Reedy River @ Fork Shoals.
Good one, wondered if anyone remembered it, however Colonial knew they had an issue and failed to shut the line down and fix it. It was a single wall line and the Reedy has recovered quite nicely: http://www.dnr.sc.gov/news/yr2009/july20/july20_reedy.html
Actually the Reedy is and was a cess pool.
Of the top ten spills, none is a pipeline:
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yet.
And the top ten weren’t over the aquifer – thanks be to God in the highest!
Name the major pipeline spills in the last twenty years.
———
It only takes one.
Personally, I could care less if Kansas was covered with oil and polluted for a generation. Might improve it.
“No it will cost their insurance company a “dime” (or more.) ”
Bravo! And who cares what it does to our land and our water and our other natural resources.
Fuck the planet! We want us some damn oil!
um, because of the Ogallala aquifer?
So what, read the story I posted about the “big inch” pipe line during WW2. Still in use and still not leaking.
So what?
How about all the wells in the Gulf that didn’t leak before the bp disaster?
Well and pipeline – there’s a significant difference.
present performance is no indication of future performance – no difference.
We’re comparing apples (wells) and dump trucks (pipelines). In other words the two are only comparable in that they both have something to do with oil. My car leaks more than the Alaska Pipeline.
present performance is no indication of future performance – no difference.
This is the same whether you are talking about apples, oranges, stock, bonds, las vegas, … everything.
What happened in the past is not a predictor of what is going to happen in the future.
That is a fact.
What happened in the past is the MOST reliable predictor of what will happen in the future.
What happened in the past is the MOST reliable predictor of what will happen in the future.
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It went to the same place as the fair coin and thunder being the sound of angels rearranging furniture in heaven.
It’s why Casinos make profit, and why the sharks eat the fish…
calculation is your best chance for certainty – statistics is for people who have no choice.
Risk management should only be engaged in if the risk is unavoidable.
People who climb mountains “because the mountain is there” – freeze to death, alone.
the gulf of mexico isnt quite the same as an aquifer. think about how much economic damage occured in the gulf because of the spill. now imagine the same economic damage, PLUS not being able to drink any water
I wasn’t exploring the intensity of the disaster, just the numbness I felt at dismissing the risk because “it hasn’t happened yet.”
Do you really think the quality of pipe or the contractors who put it together are better now than during WWII?
Quality of pipe? Unequivocally
Quality of contractor? Possibly
When Big Inch was built they worked curves into the pipe with bulldozers initially and eventually they developed a bending jig. Those techniques have been largely perfected, we use double walled pipe, welding technology is far superior, metallurgy light years ahead, welds are x-rayed…yes, our technology is far superior.
Contractors are only as good as their oversight. Most corporations are required by their insurers to provide lots of oversight on projects like this.
Oil is a world market. any increase any where affects the world price. Supply and demand.
Has anyone mentioned that there won’t be any Canadian crude from the shale oil fields at 50 bucks a barrel?
One more time, how long will $50 oil last once the Russian Federation collapses?
One more time, how long will $50 oil last once the Russian Federation collapses?
It’ll get down to $20 until we get someone in the White House beholden to Saudi and American oil interests.
JEB2016!!
Wait. You don’t want $100 a barrel oil???
Under the House of Saud is probably better than under the House of Koch.
You guys will get natural gas delivered to your state … maybe, real soon now.
300,000 jobs? That’s for the whole 1600 mile thing… there’s only 100 or so miles of it to go.. you really need to put down the crack pipe.
I’m sorry, how many of those jobs are going to SC? Focus on what you know, asshat.
Baby, FITS is greatly financed by the Kochs and their various, primarily education business, front groups.
Kochs and their energy businesses want KXL.
FITS wants KXL.
Very simple logic at work.
I do not understand. The Nebraska Supreme Court needs a supermajority to UPHOLD a decision made at a lower level?
The lower court says no. The Supreme Court says no, but not enough no. So … the lower court NO remains in effect? Or is somehow overturned because it isn’t a big enough NO from the Neb. Supremes? I don’t get it.
http://www.nytimes.com/2015/01/09/us/senate-panel-approves-keystone-pipeline-bill.html?contentCollection=us&action=click&module=NextInCollection®ion=Footer&pgtype=article
…Republicans promote the project as a major source of employment and an economic engine, but the State Department review estimated that Keystone would support only about 35 permanent jobs. Keystone would create about 42,000 temporary jobs over the two years it will take to build it — about 3,900 of them in construction and the rest are in indirect support jobs, such as food service. In comparison, there were 241,000 new jobs created in December alone. Over all, the jobs represented by Keystone account than for less one-tenth of 1 percent of the American economy….
And how many times have I heard *but it’s only one-tenth of 1 percent* of the budget when the government spends tax dollars on something stupid…
as long as the money goes to war, or bail outs – Republicans are fine with it.
Reagan raised taxes eleven times as president while tripling the deficit
“I am not worried about the deficit. It is big enough to take care of itself.” – Reagan Joke at the Gridiron Club annual dinner (24 March 1984).
Ronald Reagan: “Social Security has nothing to do with the deficit.”
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ihUoRD4pYzI
“You know, Paul, Reagan proved deficits don’t matter. We won the [Congressional] midterms [in November 2002]. This is our due.” – Dick Cheney
I know, it isn’t just Democrats that have put us in the mess we’re in, there is plenty of blame to go around. The Republicans just like Democrats will spend tax dollars to get reelected.
Until there is tax reform and everyone has skin in the game when you rob Peter to pay Paul you can always count on the support of Paul. Paul knows no political affiliation except for the tax dollars he receives.
This vote on the pipeline sounds hinki to me. Remember when Grahamnasty voted for cloture on Obamacare then when it didn’t matter any more voted against funding. So he could brag about “voting against Obamacare” ? They know Obama is going to veto this bill. If they really wanted it to pass doesn’t it make sense to attach it to something he can’t veto ? I get the feeling we are being sold a bill of goods here. Boehner and McConnell are smart enough to know how the game is played.
Why do my postings always get sent to the bottom of the list ? Ok, here it is again.
The vote on the XL pipeline seems hinki to me. These people know Obamma is going to veto it. It seems like Grahamnasty and his voting for cloture then when it didn’t matter any more voting against funding of Obammacare. Then come home and brag about voting against Obamacare. If the powers that be really wanted the pipeline they would attach it to something Obama couldn’t veto. Boehner and McConnell know how the game is played.
I listened to a radio interview with an oil industry executive this week. He claimed the oil industry has moved on from this pipeline scheme. Now the oil is moving via tank cars along railroad lines. This raises the cost a little and has the danger of train wrecks creating spills in towns along the routes, but it will continue as is. He said the Keystone pipeline has degenerated into a political charade only. He used the word “symbolic” in discussing the issue.