In April 2013, TransCanada Corporation changed the original proposed route of Keystone XL to minimize "disturbance of land, water resources and special areas"; the new route was approved by Nebraska Governor Dave Heineman in January 2013. If completed, the Keystone XL would have added 510,000 barrels (81,000m3) per day increasing the total capacity up to 1.1million barrels (170,000m3) per day. [180] Canadian journalist Diana Furchtgott-Roth commented: "If this oil shipment had been carried through pipelines, instead of rail, families in Lac-Mgantic would not be grieving for lost loved ones today, and oil would not be polluting Lac Mgantic and the Chaudire River. [53], On November 10, 2011, the Department of State postponed a final decision while investigating "potential alternative routes around the Sandhills in Nebraska" in response to concerns that the project was not in the United States' national interest. Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety. [206] The Pioneer crude oil pipeline crosses eastwest across Nebraska, and the Pony Express pipeline, which crosses the Ogallala Aquifer in Colorado, Nebraska, and Kansas, was being converted as of 2013 from natural gas to crude oil, under a permit from the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission. [267], An Angus Reid Institute poll, published on March 9, 2017, showed that 48% of respondents across Canada supported the Keystone XL revival, while 33% opposed it, and 20% were uncertain. Indeed, one study found that between 2007 and 2010, pipelines moving tar sands oil in Midwestern states spilled three times more per mile than the U.S. national average for pipelines carrying conventional crude. [17], A proposed fourth pipeline, called Keystone XL (sometimes abbreviated KXL, with XL standing for "export limited"[18]) Pipeline, would have connected the Phase I-pipeline terminals in Hardisty, Alberta, and Steele City, Nebraska, by a shorter route and a larger-diameter pipe. [259], TransCanada Corporation responded with a letter by President and CEO Russel K. Girling stating that TransCanada "rejects the EPA inference that at lower oil prices the [Keystone XL Pipeline] Project will increase the rate of oil sands production growth and accompanying greenhouse gas emissions". A view of the land repair work underway at site of an oil spill from Keystone Pipeline, located north of Washington, Kansas, Dec. 15, 2022. Authorizing Keystone XL is an act of war against our people. In addition, the bitumen that will be flowing through this pipeline has a unique composition, and traditional cleaning methods do not work for it. Additionally, it should be noted here that Canadian oil sands have been labeled as the dirtiest form of crude oil because of their high carbon content and linked to 8% of global greenhouse gas emissions. Thanks for signing up. [30], The original Keystone Pipeline cost US$5.2billion. [175] In April 2013, Calgary-based Canada West Foundation warned that Alberta is "running up against a [pipeline capacity] wall around 2016, when we will have barrels of oil we can't move". [93] Girling said that this construction, which will take place during the COVID-19 pandemic, will follow government and health authorities guidance, to ensure the protection of workers, their families, and surrounding communities from the virus.[93]. [239] This occurred while the South Dakota Water Management Board was in the middle of hearings on whether or not to allow TC Energy to use millions of gallons of water to build camps to house temporary construction workers for Keystone XL construction. We are a sovereign nation, and we are not being treated as such. At every turn, the Tar Sands Invasion would put people and the environment in harm's way. The Keystone pipeline is seen as a way to replace imports of heavy oil-sand crude from Venezuela with more reliable Canadian heavy oil. [39] The pipeline, from Hardisty, Alberta, Canada, to Patoka, Illinois, United States, became operational in June 2010. [68], On November 16, 2011, Enbridge announced it was buying ConocoPhillips's 50% interest in the Seaway pipeline that flowed from the Gulf of Mexico to the Cushing hub. "[226], Different environmental groups, citizens, and politicians have raised concerns about the potential negative impacts of the Keystone XL project. However, the reports conducted by the authorities were a complete sham, and there was nothing reasonable in them. (For evidence, note the 2010 tar sands oil spill in Kalamazoo River, Michigan, a disaster that cost Enbridge more than a billion dollars in cleanup fees and took six years to settle in court.) [271], On January 19, 2012, TransCanada announced it may shorten the initial path to remove the need for federal approval. [114] In response to the article, Congressmen Henry Waxman and Bobby Rush submitted a letter to the Energy and Commerce Committee urging them to request documents from Koch Industries relating to the pipeline. In this article he speaks on the dangers that could inevitably occur via the pipeline. [72][73] The State Department issued a new Record of Decision on the same factual record as before but now finding that granting the permit to be in the national interest. [8][9][10][11] It runs from the Western Canadian Sedimentary Basin in Alberta to refineries in Illinois and Texas, and also to oil tank farms and an oil pipeline distribution center in Cushing, Oklahoma. [77][78], In February 2019, District Judge Morris denied a request by TransCanada Corporation to begin constructing worker camps for pipeline although the company could begin construction of pipe storage and container yards as long as they were outside the proposed pipeline's right-of-way. Since it first went into operation in 2010, TC Energys original Keystone Pipeline System has leaked more than a dozen times; one incident in North Dakota sent a 60-foot, 21,000-gallon geyser of tar sands oil spewing into the air. The revoked permit became the final nail in the pipelines coffin. The Keystone XL proposal faced criticism from environmentalists and a minority of the members of the United States Congress. US President Joe Biden has cancelled permits for the controversial Keystone XL pipeline on his first day in office. NRDC and its partners also found the majority of Keystone XL oil would have been sent to markets overseasaided by a 2015 reversal of a ban on crude oil exports. Throughout the process, the US government and officials from the department of energy are seen favoring the project and a special group of people. Please help update this article to reflect recent events or newly available information. [12][13], TransCanada Keystone Pipeline GP Ltd,[14] abbreviated here as Keystone, operates four phases of the project. [220] Despite some records being posted by consulted agencies such as the EPA, the State Department has not responded to the request. Complicating matters, leaks can be difficult to detect. Also Read: What Are The 20+ Reindeer Facts For Kids? [207], In January 2012, President Obama rejected the application amid protests about the pipeline's impact on Nebraska's environmentally sensitive Sandhills region. On January 24, 2017, President Donald Trump took action intended to permit the pipeline's completion. [230][235] In April 2018, a federal investigation found that 408,000 US gallons (1,540m3) of crude had spilled at the site, almost twice what TransCanada had reported. [270] However, according to industries, the Seaway line alone is not enough for oil transportation to the Gulf Coast. [8] This phase generated the greatest controversy because of its routing over the Sandhills in Nebraska. However, current US president Joe Biden has now opposed the project by canceling permits of this project. The federal Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration said that the failure "may have been caused by mechanical damage to the pipeline and coating associated with a weight installed on the pipeline in 2008". [278], In September 2009, independent refiner CVR sued TransCanada for Keystone Pipeline tolls seeking $250million damage compensation or release from transportation agreements. These sands contain bitumen, a gooey type of petroleum that can be converted into fuel. Opponents of this projectnow called the Gulf Coast Pipelinesay that TC Energy took advantage of legal loopholes to push the pipeline through, obtaining authorization under a U.S. Army Corps of Engineers nationwide permit and dodging the more rigorous vetting process for individual permits, which requires public input. I am a marketing executive in a virtual SEO Expert. In addition, due to its vulnerability to spill accidents, there have been many keystone pipeline facts and myths speculating this pipeline project. In may of 2019, the Sioux Nation held their own public hearing for native, and non-native people to voice their concerns about the Keystone Pipeline. The 1,200-mile pipeline would have traveled southeast through nine South Dakota counties. [20], The pipeline became well known when the proposed KXL extension attracted opposition from environmentalists with concerns about climate change and fossil fuels. [258] The EPA suggested that the State Department should "revisit" its prior conclusions in light of the drop in oil prices. [152][153] TransCanada CEO Russ Girling has argued that "the U.S. needs 10 million barrels a day of imported oil" and the debate over the proposed pipeline "is not a debate of oil versus alternative energy. The company says it's already helping the U.S. meet its energy needs. [169], In 2013, United States Democrats were concerned that Keystone XL would not provide petroleum products for domestic use, but simply facilitate getting Alberta oil sands products to American coastal ports on the Gulf of Mexico for export to China and other countries. TransCanada nearly doubled its construction estimates in October 2007, from $2.8-billion (U.S.) to $5.2-billion. On this Wikipedia the language links are at the top of the page across from the article title. [69], In mid-2016, a lateral pipeline to refineries at Houston, Texas and a terminal was completed, and was online in 2017. If enacted the Northern Route Approval Act would waive the requirement for permits for a foreign company and bypass the need for President Obama's approval, and the debate in the Democrat-controlled U.S. Senate, concerned about serious environmental risks, that could result in the rejection of the pipeline.[170]. [179] Increased oil production in North Dakota has exceeded pipeline capacity since 2010, leading to increasing volumes of crude oil being shipped by truck or rail to refineries. On July 6, 2020, in the US Army Corps of Engineers v. Northern Plains Resource Council case, the Supreme Court of the United States ordered all Keystone XL work be halted. However, the volume of oil imported into the US from Venezuela dropped in half from 2007 to 2014, as overall Venezuelan exports have dropped, and also as Venezuela seeks to become less dependent on US purchases of its crude oil. Obama had included a call to "be the generation that finally frees America from the tyranny of oil" in his 2008 United States presidential election. And as far as existing pipelines we have 185 operational oil lines. Keystone XL is a proposed pipeline of approx 1,179 miles that would join the existing channel to improve oil flow and save on transportation costs. U.S. Energy . [111], On January 18, 2018, TransCanada announced they had secured commitments to ship 500,000 barrels (79,000m3) per day for 20 years. [12] In response to a Freedom of Information Act request for route information, the Department of State revealed on June 24, 2013, that "Neither Cardno ENTRIX nor TransCanada ever submitted GIS information to the Department of State, nor was either corporation required to do so. [1][2][3], The Keystone Pipeline System spans from the Western Canadian Sedimentary Basin in Alberta to refineries in Texas. The leak lasted for several minutes, with no initial reports of damage to water sources or wildlife. [43], In 2012, the US State Department estimated that the pipeline would create about 5,000 to 6,000 temporary jobs in the US during the two-year construction period, would increase gasoline availability to the Northeast and expand the Gulf refining industry. Press Esc to cancel. [157] Diane Francis has argued that much of the opposition to the oil sands actually comes from foreign countries such as Nigeria, Venezuela, and Saudi Arabia, all of whom supply oil to the United States and who could be affected if the price of oil drops due to the new availability of oil from the pipeline. [254], In a February 2015, the US EPA responded to the U.S. Department of State's Final Supplemental Environmental Impact Statement (Final SEIS) for the Keystone XL Pipeline Project,[255] that the pipeline will significantly increase greenhouse gas emissions because it will lead to the expansion of Alberta's carbon-intensive oilsands. [55][56], In March 2012, Obama endorsed the building of the southern segment (Gulf Coast Extension or Phase III) that begins in Cushing, Oklahoma. De Souza, Mike. Looking at the spills incidents that happened in the past few years, the answer is a resounding yes. [248][249], In December 2010, the No Tar Sands Oil campaign, sponsored by action groups including Corporate Ethics International, NRDC, Sierra Club, 350.org, National Wildlife Federation, Friends of the Earth, Greenpeace, and Rainforest Action Network, was launched. What some pipeline advocates think is the "Keystone Pipeline" is a 1,700-mile "shortcut" called Keystone XL, or KXL. [44][45] Following Russia's invasion of Ukraine on Feb. 24, 2022, gas prices rose sharply, peaking at $4.33 a gallon on March 11 before a slight decline. The Alberta government placed a $30,000 ad entitled "Keystone XL: The Choice of Reason" in. of State concerning Keystone XL pipeline, "Keystone XL Pipeline: About the project", "Senate Fails to Override Obama's Keystone Pipeline Veto", "GOP Threatens to Subpoena State Department", "TransCanada Requests Suspension of U.S. The oil in the Lac-Mgantic rail cars came from the Bakken Formation in North Dakota, an area that would be served by the Keystone expansion. The Keystone Pipeline System, stretching 4,324 km (2,687-miles) in length, plays a key role in delivering Canadian and U.S. crude oil supplies to markets around North America. [110][202], On November 10, 2011, the Department of State postponed a final decision while investigating "potential alternative routes around the Sandhills in Nebraska" in response to concerns that the project was not in the United States' national interest.[54]. Oil trains wont get better brakes, air conditioners wont get safer chemicals, and children lose their EPA advocate. A fourth, proposed pipeline expansion segment Phase IV, Keystone XL, failed to receive necessary permits from the United States federal government in 2015. [51][76][needs update], In November 2018, U.S. District Judge Brian Morris (District of Montana) enjoined construction of the pipeline and vacated the new permit because the policy reversal violated the Administrative Procedure Act, the National Environmental Policy Act, and the Endangered Species Act. The suit was thrown out by a federal judge on procedural grounds, ruling that the NRDC lacked the authority to bring it. [145] Based on an analysis of public documents on the State Department website, one critic asserted that "Environmental Resources Management was paid an undisclosed amount under contract to TransCanada to write the statement". On January 29, 2015, the Keystone XL Pipeline was passed by the Senate 6236. Construction of Phase III, from Cushing, Oklahoma, to Nederland, Texas, in the Gulf Coast area, began in August 2012 as an independent economic utility. [140] In August 2014, a study was published that concluded the pipeline could produce up to 4 times more global warming pollution than the State Department's study indicated. In contrast, the President of the Rosebud Sioux Nation, Cyril Scott, has stated that the November 14, 2014, vote in favor of the Keystone XL pipeline in the U.S. House of Representatives is an "act of war", declaring: We are outraged at the lack of intergovernmental cooperation. its plants and animals, and the natural systems on which all life depends. Its a pipeline through America, and it threatens to be a disaster for us if it leaks poisons on the way. Leading scientists and economists came out in opposition to the project, in addition to unions and world leaders such as the Dalai Lama, Archbishop Desmond Tutu, and former president Jimmy Carter (together, these and other Nobel laureates have written letters against the project). But then the Trump administration would do something to undercut us outside of court. The administration also attempted to issue other permits for the project, all based on flawed environmental analyses, eventually prompting more lawsuits, including two from NRDC and its allies. TransCanada has developed an Aboriginal Relations policy in order to confront some of these conflicts. In various independent studies based on the future economics of the KXL project, it has been found that these claims of generating millions of dollars by TransCanada are a plot to get support for this project. In turn, it will impact Americas energy security and its economy by lowering energy prices. update email soon. [133] In this article Wood refers to the pipeline as a black snake that poses a major threat to the Sioux Nation. By September 29, 2015, TransCanada (later TC Energy) had dropped the lawsuit and acceded to the authority of elected, five-member Nebraska Public Service Commission, which has the state constitutional authority to approve gas and oil pipelines. [33], In October 2007, the Communications, Energy and Paperworkers Union of Canada asked the Canadian federal government to block regulatory approvals for the pipeline, with union president Dave Coles stating "the Keystone pipeline will exclusively serve US markets, create a permanent employment for very few Canadians, reduce our energy security, and hinder investment and job creation in the Canadian energy sector". "[57], On January 22, 2014, the Gulf Coast Extension (Phase III) was completed running 784 kilometres (487mi) from Cushing to refineries at Port Arthur, Texas. Fact: In various independent studies based on the future economics of the KXL project, it has been found that these claims of generating millions of dollars by TransCanada are a plot to get support for this project. To clear this keystone pipeline facts and myths, the government has inclined towards supporting this project. There is thorough research or proper facts to back the claims made by the company. [23][24] At the time of the project's cancellation, approximately 8% of the pipeline had been constructed. Dallas Goldtooths article, Keystone XL would destroy our native lands. [174] By May 2012, Canadian Prime Minister Stephen Harper had spent $9 million and $16.5 million by May 2013 to promote Keystone XL. In short, tar sands oil represents no small threat to our environment, and our best stance against it, as the rallying cry goes, is to keep it in the ground.. The first, a southern leg, had already been completed and now runs between Cushing, Oklahoma, and Port Arthur, Texas. It's derived from a sludgy, sticky deposit found beneath the wilds of northern Albertas boreal forest. [96] This prompted Solicitor General Noel J. Francisco to file an application for stay to the Supreme Court. This Keystone XL project will bring oil from Canadas oil sands to Gulf Coast in Texas. At the time of the poll, only 17% of Democrats favored the pipeline. [6] TC Energy declared a force majeure upon news of the leak.[10]. On January 20, 2021, President Joe Biden signed an executive order[21] to revoke the permit[22] that was granted to TC Energy Corporation for the Keystone XL Pipeline (Phase 4). The Canadian portion of the pipeline runs from Hardisty, AB, east through Manitoba where it turns south and crosses the border into North Dakota. The KXL Pipeline would have connected to the existing Keystone Pipeline to help transport Alberta tar sands oil in Canada to the Gulf of Mexico. [201] Opponents claim that TransCanada applied to the U.S. government to use thinner steel and pump at higher pressures than normal. The Keystone XL will transport oil from Canada to the Gulf coast, making it easier to trade with the overseas market. [68] The pollsters said that the support for the Keystone pipeline project by provincial NDP government and the federal Liberal government under Trudeau had a positive impact on Canadians' attitudes of the project. In the instance of the Keystone XL pipeline, there have been many protests and actions taken against the construction of the pipeline. [44] One of the major concerns was the way in which the original route crossed the Sandhills, the large wetland ecosystem in Nebraska, and the Ogallala Aquifer, one of the largest reserves of fresh water in the world. However, the reports conducted by the authorities were a complete sham, and there was nothing reasonable in them. 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