Does the Keystone XL pipeline serve U.S. national interests? That’s the question that President Obama will have to answer at some point in the near future following an 11-volume environmental impact study released the U.S. State Department last Friday.
Initial findings within the study won’t make President Obama’s decision on Keystone XL any easier. While oil coming from the Alberta tar sands through the pipeline will result in an increase of greenhouse gas emissions, primarily as the oil is used as fuel, the study explained the pipeline is the most environmentally friendly option compared to trains and tanker ships. Since Canada will continue to exploit its tar sands for oil, the State Department concludes, then the CO2 emissions will still happen– with or without Keystone XL.
That leaves President Obama with two difficult scenarios: approve Keystone XL and his climate change agenda is effectively seen as dead-in-the-water by his liberal base. Deny approval by TransCanada to permit the pipeline, and the president hamstrings several Democratic senators in support of the pipeline as well as unions and others who see Keystone XL as a key to economic growth.
A third option, of course, is simply wait. The environmental impact study is currently open for public comment, and Secretary of State John Kerry is currently consulting with other cabinet-level departments for their feedback.
Meanwhile, supporters and opponents of Keystone XL made their voices heard on the streets of Washington D.C. this week and around the country to continue pressure on President Obama.
The following video from Climate One takes a look at the two major issues surrounding Keystone XL. Is it an economic driver or a climate killer?
Tar Sands and Crude Oil: The Pipeline Paradigm from Climate One on FORA.tv
Next from RealClearPolitics, a panel of energy experts attempt to interpret the hidden importance behind the Keystone pipeline controversy.
What Is the Symbolic Meaning Behind Keystone? from RealClearPolitics on FORA.tv
The post Keystone XL Could Decide Obama’s Climate Change Legacy appeared first on The Conference Channel Blog.
