Enbridge Announces Completion of Bakken Expansion Program; A Chicago Connection; Meanwhile -- The Winter of 2012 - 2013: Global Warming Will Wallop the East -- Again

From Yahoo! In-Play:

Enbridge Energy and Enbridge Income Fund announce completion of Bakken pipeline expansion project : Co announced that the Bakken Pipeline Expansion Project  part of Enbridge's Bakken Expansion Program, is now complete and in service... reversed and expanded an existing pipeline, running from Berthold, North Dakota, to Steelman, Saskatchewan, and constructed a new 16-inch pipeline from a new terminal near Steelman to the Enbridge Pipelines Inc. mainline terminal near Cromer, Manitoba.

This is interesting. Note the direction of Bakken oil.

A reader sent me this link to an interactive map for the Enbridge pipeline system, along with this statement:

“The new completed pipeline will carry crude oil from Berthold, North Dakota to Cromer, Manitoba where crude volumes can then access the Enbridge mainline pipeline system serving the U.S. Midwest, Midcontinent and eastern Canada."

The reader noted that this "new completed pipeline" means Bakken oil can get to Chicago pretty directly.

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Speaking of Chicago:a winterless 2013 -- but that can't be said for the East Coast.

Link here to the non-partisan website, AccuWeather.com.

Impacts from a storm targeting millions of people in the eastern states will range from travel disruptions and power outages caused by heavy snow to coastal flooding from storm surge.

A major storm will bring heavy snow from parts of North Carolina to portions of West Virginia, Pennsylvania and New Jersey spanning Wednesday into Thursday.

I don't know if this storm has been named, but we're up to R, as in "Rocky." Yup, it looks like this is winter storm "Rocky."

Meanwhile, Florida is setting cold weather records. TampaBayCBS is reporting:

Spring Breakers flocking south to Florida’s typically warm and sunny beaches are bringing along a very unwelcome guest this year – Old Man Winter.

Temperatures averaging 10 to 20 degrees below normal have taken a southward dip into the southeastern portion of the U.S., with temperature highs sitting unseasonably low in the 50 and 60 degree range.

These spring break students will return to university eager to march on Washington, DC, advocating ... well, advocating something...