Posted on 12/02/2011 3:30:08 PM PST by Clive
OTTAWA -- Republicans turned up the heat on U.S. President Barack Obama on Friday to reverse his decision to delay what was described at a congressional hearing as the safest oil pipeline ever proposed.
A parade of witnesses appeared at a House sub-committee meeting on energy to defend the safety and economic benefits of the Keystone XL pipeline, and to warn of the consequences should it rupture.
And in between partisan sniping between Democrats and Republicans, pipeline junkies learned Alberta-based TransCanada Corp. has adopted 57 additional safety measures, including 21,000 censors linked to satellites to detect problems.
"This is the most technologically advanced and safest pipeline ever proposed," Rep. Ed Whitfield said, noting XL has a censor every 167 meters to monitor pressure, flow rates and to identify leaks.
Republicans introduced legislation in the Senate this week that would force the State Department to issue a permit within 60 days to kick start the project critics say Obama delayed until after next fall's election to keep his environmental base onside and money flowing to his re-election bid.
Alex Pourbaix, TransCanada's president of energy and oil pipelines, reminded lawmakers no other pipeline has gone through as many reviews and as much scrutiny since the oil giant applied for a construction permit 40 months ago.
The $7 billion pipeline would transport 830,000 barrels of crude daily to the Gulf Coast, where specialized refineries process a similar product from Venezuela.
"This has been by far the most exhaustive and detailed review ever conducted of a crude oil pipeline in the U.S.," said Pourbaix.
Representatives from organized labour pitched their support and the need for the 20,000 shovel-ready jobs XL would produce and spinoff work.
Alternative energy producers and a representative from a Nebraska citizens group opposed to the pipeline asked the committee not to rush the project.
"Maybe, just maybe, it would make more sense to build a refinery closer to the source?"D'accord.How about Turner Valley.
I have no idea where that is, but it’s fine by me.
Good luck with the NIMBY’s.
If the Canadians stepped up production, that might leave little Hugo with less refining capacity needed here for those refineries. Can't be messing with 'bammy's homies, now.
Good. Keep those censors (sensors?) busy so the news can get out!
And here I thought he rode in on a Fulbright...
Turner Valley is in Alberta.
Canada would much prefer to sell that oil to our best ally, neighbor, and trading partner. It would make the US stronger and more prosperous, and that's good for Canada. The US doesn't want that secure supply of oil. Read that sentence again.
At $100 a barrel the tar sands will be exploited. That oil will go to market. If the US doesn't want it, there is a large Asian nation that does, and that deal is already in the works.
I am increasingly of the opinion that normal elective procedures cannot heal what ails the U.S. The sickness is too serious and it has metastasized into every part of our body politic. It must be surgically rooted out, the sooner the better.
Ironically much of the inspiration for U.S. "green" anti-development comes from Canadian Maurice Strong, the evil genius behind the U.N.'s Agenda 21.
I greatly admire the form of government the founders of your nation devised. Unfortunately several legislative and judicial decisions in the 20th century have eroded the republican form of government to the extent that the country seems ungovernable.
A return to actual form of government outlined in the constitution would rectify today's problems.
That is essentially impossible given the deliberate subversion of our political processes and institutions. Our form of government requires a moral people and Americans are very far lost into decadence.
Read "The Shadow Party" by David Horowitz and Richard Poe to learn how corrupted our institutions have become. The book was published in 2006 and matters have become far worse with the election of Obama and his radical henchmen. America is locked in the throes of a quiet but deadly revolution.
Imagine nine Clarence Thomas's or Scalias on the court. Imagine judges of their ilk in the majority of all the appeals and circuit courts. The return to a constitutional republic would be swift and dramatic.
Has there EVER been a major oil disaster on land?
Even when SoDamn HInsane blew up all the wells in Kuwait on the way out there was no big deal
Only on water shipping or drilling
And that's why I brought up the subject of American decadence. About 50% of Americans have been conditioned to expect the government to provide for them. The idiots who are against the pipeline probably never took a science or economics class and have the fuzzy wrong-headed notion that "green" energy can provide for all our needs.
I'm afraid I no longer have faith that an immature, selfish, dumbed-down, popular culture-saturated "people" have the intelligence or the will to solve America's problems. The next election will tell all.
For the first time in too many years Canada has a majority Conservative government. There is no country I would rather reside in as this storm gathers.
The enviro-wackos want us all living in grass huts like Obama’s half brother in Kenya living on $15 per year.
You are well situated. Bottom line is that Canada and Australia have 30 million population each and are pro-extraction of natural resources. You can sell your oil, coal and minerals on world markets (China). This wealth gets spread around (one way or another) 30 million instead of 300 million what we have in America (USA)
_Plus your banking system is sound. No crazy mortgage/Wall Street rip-off machine like we had in America
It is a lot harder to govern 300 million, 10 times harder, in fact.
Do not discount the advantage of a conservative (common sense) government and leadership. PM Harper knows the Kyoto treaty is garbage. He knows that exploiting the tar sands means wealth and prosperity for Canada. He knows a good working relationship with our strongest ally is vital. He knows the "gun registry" won't stop a single crime.
The problem, on both sides of the border, is that the electorate occasionally lose their common sense and vote for the snake oil salesman who wants to use other people's money to buy votes. These are all conservative/common sense positions.
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