Is anyone here aware of the $billion plus cleanup cost of the Kalamazoo River Pipeline Spill (Google that). This pipeline owned by another Canadian company was spilling the same type of oil, toxic dilbit, for 24 hours before anyone realized that. This happened in 2010, and it is still not fully cleaned. Never mind eminent domain. The homeowners along the river where this occurred never even had a change to protest. They are just out of their homes for months or even forever.
So far as I know this is completely private ownership of KXL. Perhaps there is some Canadian government involvement, but highly unlikely there is any US government participation.
Here’s a couple other facts. The pipeline that ruptured was 40 years old and never intended or designed to carry dilbit crude, one of the most toxic hydrocarbons. It was operated by complete morons who not only let it run for approximately 24 hours while ignoring alarms but they turned up the pressure thinking somehow that was a smart thing to do causing a much large spill.
Furthermore, the pipeline already exists to Cushing, Oklahoma. The section from Cushing north, as I understand it, has to be, in effect, rebuilt to handle dilbit crude. So, eminent domain, again as I understand it, is only going to be necessary from Cushing to Port Arthur.
Right now there is a dangerous pile up of oil in Cushing and it can only be removed via rail or truck which is infinitely more dangerous to the environment and people.
We have to have the oil. Scores, if not hundreds, of airliners have crashed killing thousands and we did not cancel airlines. This oil is equally as important as airlines and must be delivered to the market by the safest possible means. A well run pipeline similar to the Alaska Pipeline we know is possible, so let’s do it! That’s my two cents. Moreover, the pipeline hastens the day when we buy zero oil from the Saudi’s who, we know, funded 911.