Posted on 02/17/2014 5:15:01 AM PST by thackney
Democrats who oppose the Keystone XL pipeline have thousands of dollars invested in direct competitors to the company looking to build the pipeline, public records show.
A recent environmental assessment by the State Department was seen as a step toward the pipeline’s approval, but Sen. Tim Kaine (D., Va.) remains opposed to its construction.
“In my view, there is now enough evidence to conclude that construction of this pipeline is not in America’s long-term interest,” Kaine said in a statement on the review.
The freshman Democrat has between $15,000 and $50,000 invested in Kinder Morgan Energy Partners, according to his most recent financial disclosure. Kinder Morgan is looking to build a pipeline that would directly compete with Keystone.
Kinder Morgan is considering expanding its Canadian pipeline infrastructure with an expansion of the Trans Mountain Pipeline, which carries oil sands crude from Alberta to refineries and export terminals on Canada’s west coast.
(Excerpt) Read more at nation.foxnews.com ...
It’s a done deal. The Obama apologists on talk radio got the memo last week and started providing cover for when he approves it. Suddenly the pipeline isn’t such a bad thing after all.
The primary moneyed democrat supporter would have to be Warren Buffett who owns/controls a lot of the rail shipping support.
Done deal? When? Certainly not before the midterms.
” - - - Lowenthal has been less outspoken then Kaine on Keystone, but he voted against legislation last year that would have approved the pipeline without sign-off from the administration, which has repeatedly put off a decision on the project. - - - “
What does the Official House Ethics Committee Report conclude about these two violators with obvious Conflict of Interests?
If there has been no such Report, then does that mean that Speaker Boehner has blocked the Report because he too has a financial Conflict of Interest?
I don’t know about RATs benefiting but ‘poor’ Warren Buffet benefits very nicely as HIS Burlington Northern railroad continues to transport crude down their line.
Oh it’s still a political football. He has to fool treehuggers and global warming doofuses, but he’s going to approve it before he goes.
Since the approval does not lie with the Senate, but with the State Department, it is not a direct conflict.
Then how is this:
“- - - Kaine on Keystone, but he voted against legislation last year that would have approved the pipeline without sign-off from the administration, - - - “
NOT a House Ethics Conflict of Interest?
Hmmmmmmmmm ?
Perhaps this was why Berkshire Hathaway bought BNSF Railroad in 2009? Buffett knew that President Obama was not exactly in support of the Keystone XL pipeline, but the BNSF Railroad could easily ship oil out of the Bakken oil fields since BNSF has an extensive railrroad infrastructure in the Dakotas.
The Canadians may not wait that long.
The approval lies with the WH. The State Department report found no environmental problems.
The State Department has not approved it. The environmental report was part of their review process. It is controlled by the White House only in that the State Department reports to the President.
http://keystonepipeline-xl.state.gov/documents/organization/221135.pdf
For proposed petroleum pipelines that cross
international borders of the United States, the President,
through Executive Order (EO) 13337, directs the
Secretary of State to decide whether a project serves the
national interest before granting a Presidential Permit.
To make this decision (i.e., the National Interest
Determination), the Secretary of State, through the
Department, considers many factors, including energy
security; environmental, cultural, and economic
impacts; foreign policy; and compliance with relevant
state and federal regulations. This Supplemental EIS
was produced consistent with the National
Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) and will help inform
that determination. Before making such a decision, the
Department also asks for the views of eight federal
agencies identified in EO 13337: the Departments of
Energy, Defense, Transportation, Homeland Security,
Justice, Interior, and Commerce, as well as the
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (USEPA).
If the proposed Project is determined to serve the
national interest, it will be granted a Presidential Permit
that authorizes the construction, connection, operation,
and maintenance of the facilities at the border between
the United States and Canada. The applicant would be
required to abide by certain conditions listed in this
Supplemental EIS and the Presidential Permit. The
Department’s primary role is to make a National
Interest Determination. Its jurisdiction does not include
selection of specific pipeline routes within the
United States.
The department’s long-awaited environmental impact statement appears to indicate that the project could pass the criteria Mr. Obama set forth in a speech last summer when he said he would approve the 1,700-mile pipeline if it would not “significantly exacerbate” the problem of greenhouse gas emissions. Although the pipeline would carry 830,000 barrels of oil a day from Canada to the Gulf Coast, the report appears to indicate that if it were not built, carbon-heavy oil would still be extracted at the same rate from pristine Alberta forest and transported to refineries by rail instead.
The report sets up a difficult decision for Secretary of State John Kerry, who now must make a recommendation on the international project to Mr. Obama. Mr. Kerry, who hopes to make action on climate change a key part of his legacy, has never publicly offered his personal views on the pipeline. Aides said Mr. Kerry was preparing to “dive into” the 11-volume report and would give high priority to the issue of global warming in making the decision. His aides offered no timetable."
Anyone who thinks that Kerry has any real input into the decision is living in a fantasy world. These multiple reports from the State Department are just delaying tactics. Obama will decide, not the State Department.
A recent environmental assessment by the State Department was seen as a step toward the pipeline’s approval, but Sen. Tim Kaine (D., Va.) remains opposed to its construction. “In my view, there is now enough evidence to conclude that construction of this pipeline is not in America’s long-term interest,” ...The freshman Democrat has between $15,000 and $50,000 invested in Kinder Morgan Energy Partners, according to his most recent financial disclosure. Kinder Morgan is looking to build a pipeline that would directly compete with Keystone.
I don’t deny the State Department will do the WH bidding on this. But the formal approval is with the State Department.
Absolutely, I wouldn’t put it beyond either Buffett or der Fuehrer to set this up as a payoff for old Warren’s support for democrats. I have long considered Buffett to be as big a coniver and oil-railroad-insurance-etc baron as the old robber barons who also had strong political ties. He, Oprah, Ellifson (Oracle) and the other democrat billionaires should have their assets seized to pay for the mess they’ve financed through the democrat party for their own gain.
The report sets up a difficult decision for Secretary of State John Kerry, who now must make a recommendation on the international project to Mr. Obama.
President Obama said in June that he would sign off on the proposal only if it “does not significantly exacerbate the climate problem.”
Environmentalists said that if Mr. Obama were to approve the pipeline, it would destroy his efforts to make progress on climate change.
The WH is making the decision period. The Kerry "review" is just a way to delay a decision. This is a political decision that will be made solely in the WH.
While lots of lame stream media write it up that way. The Presidential Permit is actually issued by the State Department.
http://www.state.gov/r/pa/prs/dpb/2014/02/221643.htm#KEYSTONEXL
So this environmental impact statement is only one factor that the Secretary will take into account as he weighs many other elements in making a decision. Obviously, for the Secretary, climate and environmental priorities are part of his decision making, quite frankly. So again, we’ve talked a lot publicly about it. That’s where the process is right now, that there is this document that has been put out. Agencies have 90 days, public has 30 days, and the Secretary will take into account all of that as he makes a decision.
- - - - - -
http://www.state.gov/e/enr/applicant/index.htm
The Secretary of State has the authority to issue Presidential Permits for cross-border liquid (water as well as petroleum product) pipelines and other cross-border infrastructure. The Bureau of Energy Resources Office of Energy Diplomacy receives and processes permit applications.
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