No Excuses: Keystone XL Pipeline Clears Major Hurdle

[ScienceRocks]

It will add co2 into the planets atmosphere. That alone is the reason to oppose it.

 

[Bfgrn]

The Impact of Tar Sands Pipeline Spills on Employment and the Economy
A report by Cornell University global labor institute

About this report

This report examines the potentially negative impacts of tar sands oil spills on employment and the economy. It draws attention to economic sectors at risk from a tar sands pipeline spill, particularly in the six states along Keystone XL’s proposed route Montana, South Dakota, Nebraska, Kansas, Oklahoma, and Texas. This report also shows how Michigan’s Kalamazoo River spill in 2010—to date the largest tar sands oil spill in the U.S.—caused significant economic damage and negatively impacted the quality of life of local communities.

The information was collected from employment and economic data in the pipeline states, as well as from interviews with businesspeople, landowners, farmers, and ranchers who live and work along the proposed route for the Keystone XL or near the Kalamazoo River oil spill.

Main Findings

» The negative impacts on employment and the economy of tar sands pipelines have largely been ignored. To date, a comprehensive spills risk assessment for the proposed Keystone XL pipeline has not been conducted. Such an assessment would provide an independent review of both the risk of spills and their economic consequences.

» The Keystone XL pipeline would cut through America’s breadbasket. Agricultural land and rangeland comprise 79 percent of the land that would be affected by the proposed Keystone XL pipeline. It would cross more than 1,700 bodies of water, including the Missouri and Yellowstone rivers and the Ogallala and Carrizo-Wilcox aquifers. The Ogallala Aquifer alone supplies 30 percent of the groundwater used for irrigation in the U.S. It also supplies two million people with drinking water.

» Farming, ranching, and tourism are major sources of employment along the Keystone XL pipeline’s proposed route. Water contamination resulting from a Keystone XL spill, or the cumulative effect of spills over the lifetime of the pipeline, would have significant economic costs and could result in job loss in these sectors. Approximately 571,000 workers are directly employed in the agricultural sector in the six states along the Keystone XL corridor. Total agricultural output for these states is about $76 billion annually.

» Many of the land areas and bodies of water that Keystone XL will cross provide recreational opportunities vital to the tourism industry. Keystone XL would traverse 90.5 miles of recreation and special interest areas, including federal public lands, state parks and forests, and national historic trails. About 780,000 workers are employed in the tourism sector in the states along the Keystone XL pipeline. Tourism spending in these states totaled more than $67 billion in 2009.

» There is strong evidence that tar sands pipeline spills occur more frequently than spills from pipelines carrying conventional crude oil because of the diluted bitumen’s toxic, corrosive, and heavy composition. Tar sands oil spills have the potential to be more damaging than conventional crude oil spills because they are more difficult and more costly to clean up, and because they have the potential to pose more serious health risks. Therefore both the frequency and particular nature of the spills have negative economic implications.

» The largest tar sands oil spill in the U.S. occurred on the Kalamazoo River in Michigan in 2010. This spill affected the health of hundreds of residents, displaced residents, hurt businesses, and caused a loss of jobs. The Kalamazoo spill is the most expensive tar sands pipeline oil spill in U.S. history, with overall costs estimated at $725 million.

» According to the U.S. State Department, the six states along the pipeline route are expected to gain a total of 20 permanent pipeline operation jobs. Meanwhile, the agricultural and tourism sectors are already a major employer in these states. Potential job losses to these sectors resulting from one or more spills from Keystone XL could be considerable.

» Renewable energy provides a safer route to creating new jobs and a sustainable environment. The U.S. is leading the world in renewable energy investments, and employment in this sector has expanded in recent years.

http://www.ilr.cornell.edu/globalla...d/GLI_Impact-of-Tar-Sands-Pipeline-Spills.pdf

 

[Kosh]

The far left math on numbers only works when it is their favor and most of the time they have to make those up.

 

[Shaarona]

It is becoming increasingly clear that Hussein does not give one damn about you or me. The Keystone pipeline could cure the crisis we are currently in, but Hussein Obama in his bid to destroy America, instead choses to lounge around like a shiftless lazy man. He is too busy shuckin' and jivin' from the truth to face the realities that we face as a nation.

How ignorant...... the Keystone might create 4-5,000 temporary jobs. .. TAPLINE was built with less than a thousand workers.

 

[Shaarona]

One other thing.... Look at the harm the Trans Alaska pipeline has done to Alaska....

Resource Development Council for Alaska, Inc.

Alaska’s Oil & Gas Industry

Background

The oil and gas industry has driven much of the growth in Alaska’s economy and has paid for most of the state government’s operations for 40 years. In fact, oil production currently accounts for approximately 93 percent of Alaska’s unrestricted general fund revenues, or $8.86 billion in fiscal year 2012. The general fund pays for almost every state service, including the education system, transportation infrastructure, public health and safety services, and a host of other programs throughout Alaska. In FY 2013, unrestricted revenue from oil production is anticipated to be $6.9 billion and $6.4 billion in FY 2014. Since Statehood, Alaska has received $164 billion in revenues from oil.

According to a special report by the University of Alaska’s Institute for Social and Economic Research (ISER), without oil, the economy in Alaska today would be only half its current size. A third of Alaska’s jobs, 127,000, are oil related and depend on oil production.

Alaska also has no Income Tax and no Sales Tax.

Alaska also gifts each and every qualified resident of the State with a check every year from Oil Revenue.

This year, a paltry $900. In past years, as much as $2,069 per resident.

Yeah, that Trans Alaska Pipeline really fucked over The People of Alaska, didn't it?

I hate dimocraps. Stupid, arrogant, ignorant, dishonest, regressive, backwards-assed inbreeds. All of them

Sarah Palin killed several oil company projects right before she left the governor's office so she could hand out MORE cash to Alaskans.

 

[Edgetho]

It will add co2 into the planets atmosphere. That alone is the reason to oppose it.

What does Plant Life need to live on?

And what does Plant Life emit as it photosynthesizes it?

And what do humans need in order to survive.

You people just don't think. You really don't

 

[JoeB131]

"The Keystone Pipline would create 500,000 permenate jobs, why does obama reject it?"

Because it would create 500,000 jobs, which means 500,000 people who are NOT dependent on government for their survival.

But it wouldn't create that many jobs. In fact, it wouldn't create many jobs at all.

And the danger of an oil spill would poison the aquifers in the midwest. You know, the ones we depend on to irrigate the food.

 

[Edgetho]

One other thing.... Look at the harm the Trans Alaska pipeline has done to Alaska....

Resource Development Council for Alaska, Inc.

Alaska’s Oil & Gas Industry

Background

The oil and gas industry has driven much of the growth in Alaska’s economy and has paid for most of the state government’s operations for 40 years. In fact, oil production currently accounts for approximately 93 percent of Alaska’s unrestricted general fund revenues, or $8.86 billion in fiscal year 2012. The general fund pays for almost every state service, including the education system, transportation infrastructure, public health and safety services, and a host of other programs throughout Alaska. In FY 2013, unrestricted revenue from oil production is anticipated to be $6.9 billion and $6.4 billion in FY 2014. Since Statehood, Alaska has received $164 billion in revenues from oil.

According to a special report by the University of Alaska’s Institute for Social and Economic Research (ISER), without oil, the economy in Alaska today would be only half its current size. A third of Alaska’s jobs, 127,000, are oil related and depend on oil production.

Alaska also has no Income Tax and no Sales Tax.

Alaska also gifts each and every qualified resident of the State with a check every year from Oil Revenue.

This year, a paltry $900. In past years, as much as $2,069 per resident.

Yeah, that Trans Alaska Pipeline really fucked over The People of Alaska, didn't it?

I hate dimocraps. Stupid, arrogant, ignorant, dishonest, regressive, backwards-assed inbreeds. All of them

Sarah Palin killed several oil company projects right before she left the governor's office so she could hand out MORE cash to Alaskans.

Yuh.... Pretty sure she and GW rented a tugboat and towed that Iceberg into the path of the unsuspecting Titanic, too.

 

[Camp]

How big would the payroll be if you pay 500,000 employees $10 per hour for one week?

 

[JoeB131]

It will add co2 into the planets atmosphere. That alone is the reason to oppose it.

What does Plant Life need to live on?

And what does Plant Life emit as it photosynthesizes it?

And what do humans need in order to survive.

You people just don't think. You really don't

Increased C02 makes plants less healthy. The plants grow bigger but they have less nutritional value.

High carbon dioxide levels can retard plant growth, study reveals : 12/02

But an unprecedented three-year experiment conducted at Stanford University is raising questions about that long-held assumption. Writing in the journal Science, researchers concluded that elevated atmospheric carbon dioxide actually reduces plant growth when combined with other likely consequences of climate change -- namely, higher temperatures, increased precipitation or increased nitrogen deposits in the soil.

The results of the study may prompt researchers and policymakers to rethink one of the standard arguments against taking action to prevent global warming: that natural ecosystems will minimize the problem of fossil fuel emissions by transferring large amounts of carbon in the atmosphere to plants and soils.

Again, the dangers of people who believe in Talking Snakes trying to do Science.

 

[Edgetho]

"The Keystone Pipline would create 500,000 permenate jobs, why does obama reject it?"

Because it would create 500,000 jobs, which means 500,000 people who are NOT dependent on government for their survival.

But it wouldn't create that many jobs. In fact, it wouldn't create many jobs at all.

And the danger of an oil spill would poison the aquifers in the midwest. You know, the ones we depend on to irrigate the food.

False. Stupid. Dishonest. Ignorant. Typical dimocrap

The spillages created by Warren Buffoon's train tankers are far more devastating, dangerous, costly and likely than a leak from a pipeline that can be shut down on a moments notice.

Unlike a runaway freight train.

Train Derailment Causes Fiery Destruction In Casselton, ND

There have been several of these.

[ame=http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_detailpage&v=3o6l8RYSEk0]Casselton, ND Train Derailment, Fire, Explosions Prompt Evacuations HD V?DEO - YouTube[/ame]

How can one group of people (dimocraps) be so wrong so often on so many subjects?

It's an art. Gotta be. Nothing can be that stupid and survive.

Where's Darwin when you need him....

P.S.

Funny how the DISGUSTING FILTH in the LSM isn't making such a Big Deal™ out of this, huh?

And since that's the only place you get your views, you're left at the gate wondering WTF just happened.

"What happened" is.... You choose to be uninformed. You choose to be ignorant of facts. You choose to be a dimocrap and limit your knowledge.

Your ego is invested in it. And you can't change. Too bad for you.

 

[Geaux4it]

It is becoming increasingly clear that Hussein does not give one damn about you or me. The Keystone pipeline could cure the crisis we are currently in, but Hussein Obama in his bid to destroy America, instead choses to lounge around like a shiftless lazy man. He is too busy shuckin' and jivin' from the truth to face the realities that we face as a nation.

He rejects it because it creates jobs which creates less government dependence which equals less votes.

-Geaux

 

[ScienceRocks]

Republicans get their science from a talking snake. Fact.

 

[JoeB131]

"The Keystone Pipline would create 500,000 permenate jobs, why does obama reject it?"

Because it would create 500,000 jobs, which means 500,000 people who are NOT dependent on government for their survival.

But it wouldn't create that many jobs. In fact, it wouldn't create many jobs at all.

And the danger of an oil spill would poison the aquifers in the midwest. You know, the ones we depend on to irrigate the food.

False. Stupid. Dishonest. Ignorant. Typical dimocrap

The spillages created by Warren Buffoon's train tankers are far more devastating, dangerous, costly and likely than a leak from a pipeline that can be shut down on a moments notice.

Unlike a runaway freight train.

There have been several of these.

[ame=http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_detailpage&v=3o6l8RYSEk0]Casselton, ND Train Derailment, Fire, Explosions Prompt Evacuations HD V?DEO - YouTube[/ame]

How can one group of people (dimocraps) be so wrong so often on so many subjects?

It's an art. Gotta be. Nothing can be that stupid and survive.

Where's Darwin when you need him....

P.S.

Funny how the DISGUSTING FILTH in the LSM isn't making such a Big Deal™ out of this, huh?

And since that's the only place you get your views, you're left at the gate wondering WTF just happened.

"What happened" is.... You choose to be uninformed. You choose to be ignorant of facts. You choose to be a dimocrap and limit your knowledge.

Your ego is invested in it. And you can't change. Too bad for you.

Guy, you really need to get over your anger issues. Just because your girlfriend dumped you for a guy in a Che T-shirt, you just need to get over it, bud.

Second, a pipeline rupture would be MASSIVELY more devastating than a single tanker car exploding.

Evacuations In Milford After Pipeline Explosion « CBS Dallas / Fort Worth

 

[Shaarona]

One other thing.... Look at the harm the Trans Alaska pipeline has done to Alaska....

Resource Development Council for Alaska, Inc.



Alaska also has no Income Tax and no Sales Tax.

Alaska also gifts each and every qualified resident of the State with a check every year from Oil Revenue.

This year, a paltry $900. In past years, as much as $2,069 per resident.

Yeah, that Trans Alaska Pipeline really fucked over The People of Alaska, didn't it?

I hate dimocraps. Stupid, arrogant, ignorant, dishonest, regressive, backwards-assed inbreeds. All of them

Sarah Palin killed several oil company projects right before she left the governor's office so she could hand out MORE cash to Alaskans.

Yuh.... Pretty sure she and GW rented a tugboat and towed that Iceberg into the path of the unsuspecting Titanic, too.

The Alaska Legislature adopted a plan proposed by Palin in 2007 (Alaska’s Clear and Equitable Share) that raised the tax that oil companies have to pay on their profits from a base rate of 22.5 percent to 25 percent. Oil companies, including ExxonMobil, opposed the tax hike, claiming it would affect their project investments.

The revenue generated from the tax increase, which significantly added to the state’s budget surplus, allowed Palin’s administration to issue a one time "resource rebate" of $1,200 to eligible state residents in 2008 to help with increasing energy prices.

The rebate came in addition to the annual dividend check ($2,069 in 2008) that residents receive as their part of the state’s oil wealth. Whether this classifies as making residents "filthy rich" is a matter of opinion, though. Palin got the idea from a Republican legislator, according to the Anchorage Daily News:

 

[Star]

Jobs Gained, Jobs Lost by the Construction of Keystone XL
A report by Cornell University global labor institute

Main Findings

The main points in this briefing paper can be summarized as follows:

» The industry’s US jobs claims are linked to a $7 billion KXL project budget. However, the budget for KXL that will have a bearing on US jobs figures is dramatically lower—only around $3 to $4 billion. A lower project budget means fewer jobs.

» The project will create no more than 2,500-4,650 temporary direct construction jobs for two years, according to TransCanada’s own data supplied to the State Department.

» The company’s claim that KXL will create 20,000 direct construction and manufacturing jobs in the U.S is not substantiated.

» There is strong evidence to suggest that a large portion of the primary material input for KXL—steel pipe—will not even be produced in the United States. A substantial amount of pipe has already been manufactured in advance of pipeline permit issuance.

» The industry’s claim that KXL will create 119,000 total jobs (direct, indirect, and induced) is based on a flawed and poorly documented study commissioned by TransCanada (The Perryman Group study). Perryman wrongly includes over $1 billion in spending and over 10,000 person-years of employment for a section of the Keystone project in Kansas and Oklahoma that is not part of KXL and has already been built.

» KXL will not be a major source of US jobs, nor will it play any substantial role at all in putting Americans back to work. Even if the Perryman figures were accurate, and all of the workers for the next phase of the project were hired immediately, the US seasonally adjusted unemployment rate would remain at 9.1%—exactly where it is now.

» KXL will divert Tar Sands oil now supplying Midwest refineries, so it can be sold at higher prices to the Gulf Coast and export markets. As a result, consumers in the Midwest could be paying 10 to 20 cents more per gallon for gasoline and diesel fuel. These additional costs (estimated to total $2–4 billion) will suppress other spending and will therefore cost jobs.

» Pipeline spills incur costs and therefore kill jobs. Clean-up operations and permanent pipeline spill damage will divert public and private funds away from productive economic activity. In 2010 US pipeline spills and explosions killed 22 people, released over 170,000 barrels of petroleum into the environment, and caused $1 billion dollars worth of damage in the United States.

» Rising carbon emissions and other pollutants from the heavy crude transported by Keystone XL will also incur increased health care costs. Emissions also increase both the risk and costs of further climate instability.

» By helping to lock in US dependence on fossil fuels, Keystone XL will impede progress toward green and sustainable economic renewal and will have a chilling effect on green investments and green jobs creation. The green economy has already generated 2.7 million jobs in the US and could generate many more.

http://www.ilr.cornell.edu/globallaborinstitute/research/upload/GLI_KeystoneXL_012312_FIN.pdf

In addition to the Cornell study... Forbes used the Global Labor Institute at Cornell University’s College of Industrial and Labor Relations study as well as Trans-Canada study and the figures from the U.S. federal government.

Forbes compared the reality of Alyeska with the proposal by XL Keystone. According to the
uber-conservative rag Forbes - 35 (thirty-five) permanent maintenance jobs will be created by
XL Keystone but-----but during the short peak-----peak period of construction the Alyeska pipeline employed as many as 21,000 temporary-----temporary workers...

Pipe Dreams: How Many Jobs Will Be Created By Keystone XL? - Forbes

<snip>

..."In reality, Alyeska employed 21,000 workers during peak construction in the summers of 1975 and 1976. Despite the fact that Alyeska kept dropping its estimated job numbers, the company employed more workers then all their prediction except for the first. By numbers hired, the project was a huge success. But, how do these estimates compare to the proposed Keystone XL Pipeline, and what does this teach us?

The table below illustrates the fluctuations in construction worker job predictions for three different sources: Trans-Canada, the U.S. federal government, and a study conducted by a the Global Labor Institute at Cornell University’s College of Industrial and Labor Relations. Trans-Canada’s job predictions follow a generally similar path to Alyeska’s, in which the job estimates tend to decrease as the project approaches its start date.

​

In January of 2010, Trans-Canada CEO Russell Girling claimed that the project would produce 13,000 construction jobs. In April of 2011 the number grew to 20,000, which the Canadian Ambassador reiterated in August 2011. In January 2012 the number was revised back down to 13,000 and this past April the company revised that number even lower, to 9,000 construction jobs. Meanwhile, both the federal government and the Global Labor Institute at Cornell University’s College of Industrial and Labor Relations examined TransCanada’s application and made their own job creation estimates, at 6,000-6,500 and 2,500-4,500 respectively. A State Department study projects only 35 permanent jobs in pipeline maintenance and inspection. Although it seems likely that the Keystone XL Pipeline’s application will eventually be approved by the Obama Administration, firmer numbers will not be available until the project gets underway."

<snip>

IOWs, Forbes is saying the jobs numbers the rightwing dupes on this USMB thread are using are way overblown------way, way overblown.
.

 

[editec]

The Keystone Pipline would create 500,000 permenate jobs.

Bullshit

 

[Camp]

The Keystone Pipline would create 500,000 permenate jobs.

Bullshit

Maybe they plan to use old fashioned ditch diggers with shovels and picks along with teams of horses to move the pipe sections.

 

[zeke]

The Keystone Pipline would create 500,000 permenate jobs.

Bullshit

Maybe they plan to use old fashioned ditch diggers with shovels and picks along with teams of horses to move the pipe sections.

That was a good one.

More of that good ole Republican "back to the future" bullshit. Of course they will let the Koch Brothers pay them workers in worthless "company" script. While they live in a "company" town buying everything they need in the "company" store.

Because there is one thing (I am being nice) a Republican is, they are "company" people. They love them some big time ultra rich people.

Republican want to change the motto of "In God We Trust", they like the "In Ultra Rich People We Trust." Cause God might be a populist. Or worse yet, a Democrat.

 

[Duped]

The bottom line is that Keystone would strengthen America, and create many jobs - that is why Obama opposes it. Oil money is associated with old white guys - what he deplores most!