Environment & Energy
Related: About this forumIt’s Not Just Keystone — Five Dirty Pipelines You’ve Never Heard Of
By now most people have heard of TransCanadas Keystone XL pipeline and the fact that, after five years of deliberation and protest, its fate still hangs in the balance (the southern portion is already built, but the northern portion that crosses the Canadian-US border awaits a permitting decision). The issue has galvanized the environmental movement, inspired dozens of high-profile demonstrations and captured media attention. But while the impacts from Keystone XL are significant, its not the only tar sands pipeline project in town.
Usually pipelines dont draw much attention unless something goes wrong like when a suburban Mayflower, Ark., neighborhood was flooded with heavy crude from the Alberta tar sands last May courtesy of a busted Exxon pipeline. But increasingly, communities arent waiting until catastrophe strikes to voice their opposition to new or expanded pipeline projects partly because of environmental and public health risks from spills and partly out of concern for increasing the greenhouse gas emissions that contribute to climate change.
When Keystone XL was brought into the spotlight, people began to understand that not all pipelines are created equal a pipeline carrying dilbit, or diluted bitumen from tar sands poses different (and often greater) risks than a conventional oil pipeline. Hazardous chemicals and other hydrocarbons need to be added, along with high pressure and heat, to move viscous dilbit through a pipe. And when spills occur, the oil doesnt sheen at the surface; it sinks making cleanup difficult (or impossible). Just ask communities along the Kalamazoo River in Michigan where a 2010 dilbit spill of close to a million gallons is still causing headaches even after $1 billion in cleanup operations.
And then there are also the environmental implications that come from the mining of tar sands, which have devastated the boreal forests of Alberta, creating massive lakes of toxic chemicals, clear cuts, and polluted water and air.
http://billmoyers.com/2014/03/26/its-not-just-keystone-five-dirty-pipelines-youve-never-heard-of/
Cushing, Okla. -- where Keystone XL's southern leg begins. Photo: Tara Lohan
NYC_SKP
(68,644 posts)Rhiannon12866
(205,237 posts)Thought this provided more information on the pipeline, since the decision should be coming soon.
Jim Lane
(11,175 posts)I live near the Spectra Pipeline, which the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission approved last fall. "Spectra Pipeline In NYC Approved By Federal Government To Start Natural Gas Pumping"
Rhiannon12866
(205,237 posts)And makes me even more worried that Keystone will be approved.
Cooley Hurd
(26,877 posts)K&R
Rhiannon12866
(205,237 posts)I thought this was important enough to post.
stuntcat
(12,022 posts)TY!
Rhiannon12866
(205,237 posts)Every day there are stories of new oil spills, from pipes and tanker ships leaking, from trains derailing and drilling gone wrong, blighting cities and towns and coastlines in the US and Canada. These need to be on front pages all across the country to raise awareness of what's really happening here...