The first phase of the $12 billion Keystone Pipeline that runs from Hardisty, Alberta (Canada), south through North and South Dakota (USA) started up with commercial deliveries at the end of June to markets in Illinois.By the way, it is not only Henry Waxman trying to stop the project; Montana governor Schweitzer is also on record as wanting to delay the project, albeit perhaps for different reasons.
This comes as controversy over the Keystone XL Pipeline, that runs through Montana and South Dakota, continues with Democratic congressmen pushing for delays while more environmental evaluation is completed.
You can see maps of the pipeline and the proposed expansion, as well as other information at this site.
UPDATES
New York Times, July 6, 2010.
in whos interest is the reason for trying to stop it???
ReplyDeleteThe stated reasons may or may not be the "real" reasons:
ReplyDelete1. Waxman: oil from Canada is particularly dirty "sands" oil. Refining this oil results in 2 - 4 times more greenhouse gas emissions than refining "conventional" oil. (see Wikipedia)
2. Schweitzer: wants local Bakken producers to be able to access the pipeline.
Bruce,
ReplyDeleteI think Schweitzer's concerns have been addressed. More info:
"...Montana Gov. Brian Schweitzer and oil industry leaders in the two states met with TransCanada officials in March to press the company into allowing U.S. crude in the pipeline."
http://billingsgazette.com/news/state-and-regional/montana/article_674e31be-7d51-11df-bc3b-001cc4c03286.html
“We continue to support the project,” Sarah Elliott, spokesperson for Gov. Brian Schweitzer, said on Tuesday. “It is another step toward better energy security and allows Montana oil another avenue to market.”
Schweitzer and North Dakota Gov. John Hoeven met during March in Billings with about 50 oil producers to discuss the possibility of an “on-ramp” for the Keystone XL Pipeline, a project of TransCanada.
“Montana and North Dakota are the only two states to have increased oil production over the last several years,” Schweitzer said at that time. “The proposed Keystone XL pipeline would provide infrastructure that could help maintain and even increase our level of production while bringing hundreds of new energy jobs and over $1 billion in investment to Montana.”
http://www.sidneyherald.com/articles/2010/07/10/news/doc4c34d12bdf6d9212039217.txt
Also, I don't know if Schweitzer has ever opposed KXL, just that he acknowledged pipelines pose certain environmental risks; sorry if my post is unclear on this. My post reflects that Schweitzer's words coincided with a moment when 50 members of the House of Representatives and Podesta were in the news for injecting environmental concerns into the public discourse on tar sands development.
Anyway, thanks for linking, and you may be interested in two more recent posts of mine on KXL:
http://andrewottoson.com/2010/06/perspectives-on-pipeline-safety/
http://andrewottoson.com/2010/07/list-keystone-xl-news-i-missed-while-out-of-town/