Punting on the Keystone XL

The following two articles describe well the current decision making process on the Keystone XL Pipeline. The Release from U.S. Representative Lee Terry is specifically interesting.

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NEWS FROM

Congressman Lee Terry

2ND District, Nebraska

For Immediate Release

Thursday, November 10, 2011

Terry Statement on Delay of Keystone Pipeline

 OMAHA, NE - Congressman Lee Terry today released the following statement regarding today’s announcement by the U.S. State Department to postpone a decision on the Keystone XL Pipeline until early 2013, citing the need to research an alternative route. 

 “Today’s announcement doesn’t get us any closer to a solution and does nothing to increase our nation’s energy security or create needed jobs.  All it does is kick the can down the road at a time we can least afford such inaction.

 “As verified with a representative from the State Department, this environmental study will only deal with the sensitivity of the Sand Hills.  Since the study seems to be focused only on the Sand Hills near the current proposed route, they are not looking to move it to eastern Nebraska near the current existing pipeline corridor as requested by many Nebraskans.

 “Therefore, since they seemed to have missed the point of moving the pipeline off of the Ogallala Aquifer, I’m confused why they are only considering a slight modification and simply adding a third study on top of the existing mountain of evidence.  It seems this is simply a delay tactic which ignores the rather detailed request from Nebraska leaders.

 “This is a delay for delay’s sake and, unfortunately, today’s announcement is not addressing the real issue.”    

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Click here for complete article > EnergyTomorrow

November 11, 2011

The administration's announcement that it will delay a decision on the Keystone XL pipeline until early 2013 - after the 2012 presidential election - shows that politics trumps jobs for American workers as well as energy security for America. API President and CEO Jack Gerard:

"This decision is deeply disappointing and troubling. Whether it will help the president retain his job is unclear, but it will cost thousands of shovel-ready opportunities for American workers. There is no real issue about the environment that requires further investigation, as the president's own State Department has recently concluded after extensive project reviews that go back more than three years.  This is about politics and keeping a radical constituency opposed to any and all oil and gas development in the president's camp in November 2012."…