The Keystone XL Pipeline: Should it be built? If so, why? If not, why not?

Introduction

Every American who wants to protect our air, our water, and the health of our families should stand opposed to the Keystone XL tar sands pipeline. Back in January, when President Obama initially rejected the pipeline's permit, he concluded it is simply not in our nation's best interest. Given the real danger posed by Keystone XL, it's hard to disagree - both then and now.

Keystone XL requires Americans to bear serious costs for a project that would pay few dividends in our country to anyone other than big oil companies and their political allies. The pipeline would pump tar sands crude from Canada through six American states, over the massive Ogallala aquifer, to ports in Texas. That means the pipeline would send volatile, corrosive crude dangerously close to one of our nation's most vital water sources just to get it to a place where it can be shipped around the world. (Broder 1)

To make matters worse, the pipeline would be in the hands of an oil company that has already dumped tens of thousands of gallons of crude onto American soil.

The safety record for TransCanada, the oil giant pushing Keystone XL, is full of glaring problems. In June of 2010, the company started operating the Keystone 1 pipeline. One year later, it had spilled 14 times, including a rupture in North Dakota that oozed out 21,000 gallons of sticky crude. That same year, an Enbridge tar sands pipeline in Michigan burst apart, spewing more than a million gallons of toxic crude into the Kalamazoo River, costing millions of dollars to clean up and poisoning more than 40 miles of downstream waters.

The impact of these tar sands spills on our environment and our drinking water is nearly irreparable. But a spill from Keystone XL would be even worse. We'd be creating the potential for a disaster like the BP's gulf oil spill right in the middle of the American heartland - and for what? America would be taking all of the risks to help a foreign company move oil.

Some argue that Keystone XL is worth the risks because it will create jobs. For the short duration of the pipeline's construction, that's true - but not as many or for as long as the oil companies declare. In spite of their inflated claims, building Keystone XL is not like waving a magic wand that will fix our economy. Instead, it's a ticking time bomb that could destroy American farms and ranches, poison the drinking water for millions and endanger the health of American families. (Madhani & Davis 1)

Sadly, that doesn't seem to matter to the oil companies or their friends. As they always do, they are playing political games and dumping money into the system to get their way. In the month since Keystone XL was rejected, TransCanada has mobilized an army of lobbyists and PR experts while running a multi-million dollar ad campaign to push for the pipeline's ...