It’s 4:00 on Friday afternoon.  Time to release a report with great news for the American economy, but which will leave hard-core enviros spitting, sputtering and gnashing their teeth.

The Keystone XL pipeline is all gain, no pain.

The U.S. State Department released its draft report on the proposed pipeline (Full report here) concluding that the pipeline will have little impact on the climate or the environment, but building it will create a jobs bonanza.

The State Department predicts that building the pipeline will create:

  • Approximately 42,100 jobs across the United States;
  • Approximately $2.05 billion in employee earnings;
  • Approximately $3.1 billion in direct expenditures; and
  • An undetermined amount of revenue from sales and use taxes.

At the same time the report concludes that the pipeline will have no meaningful effect on the climate, even if you accept (you shouldn’t) the dire predictions of the most extreme climate computer models, as Canada will extract oil from its oil sands with or without the pipeline.  The oil would simply get to market through less efficient means.

Further, the report concludes that with the pipeline’s proposed mitigation measures in place, construction and operation will have no meaningful effect on the U.S. environment, or endangered species

The report has good news for the Canadian environment as well, “The Environmental Screening Report concluded that, with incorporation of Keystone’s proposed measures to avoid or minimize impacts and with Keystone’s acceptance of the NEB’s regulatory requirements and recommended conditions, implementation of the proposed Project in Canada would not likely result in significant adverse environmental effects. “‘

The report even gives the pipeline a passing grade in the politically correct category of “environmental justice” concluding that, “impacts to minority and low-income populations during construction may include exposure to construction dust and noise, disruption to traffic patterns, and increased competition for medical or health services in underserved populations. Such impacts would generally be small and short-term.”  In addition, as “the risk of a potential release is roughly equal at all points along the pipeline, the risks associated with such releases would not be disproportionately borne by minority or low-income populations.”

How about signing some of those low-income people up for the 42,000 construction jobs and welcoming them into the middle class? How’s that for environmental justice?

The pipeline, as Marc Morano who publishes CFACT’s Climate Depot news and information service recently reported, will carry “ethical oil” from Canada, decreasing dependence on “conflict oil” from dictatorships.

The “climate change community” went straight into full reality denying mode.

NASA’s James Hansen said in a statement that, “to say that the tar sands have little climate impact is an absurdity.”  Hansen conveniently ignored the report’s common sense conclusion that this oil will be put to use with or without the pipeline.  If CO2 is Hansen’s worry, transporting the oil less efficiently would surely emit more.

Sierra Club President Michael Brune said that President Obama, “can either lead our country to a clean energy future… or he can approve a pipeline that will bring the dirtiest oil on the planet through the US, and for the next decades we will know that the Keystone XL was approved under Obama”

Bill McKibben of 350.org, which organized the recent Washington, D.C. rally against the pipeline (CFACT was there!) called Keystone XL “the most important issue for the environmental movement in a very long time.”  What about ‘the oil will be developed with or without the pipeline’ does McKibben fail to understand?  Reality denial syndrome seems to take a severe toll on these enviro’s ability to process and comprehend hard facts in the real world.  They should probably stick to computer modeling.

So there you have it (albeit in draft form).  Keystone XL will bring much needed jobs to the U.S. and Canada, provide a reliable source of North American oil from one of America’s dearest friends in the free world and will have no meaningful effect on climate, environment, endangered species, will not hurt the poor (could help them) and will generate tax revenue for cash-strapped governments.

The report is now entering a 45 day public comment period.  You can be sure, Hansen, McKibben, Brune and the rest will see this as a 45 day propaganda period.  They will deny the facts, deny reality and do anything to deny Americans and Canadians the many benefits that will flow through this pipeline.

What can you do?  If you want to end dependency on oil from tyrants, want to see America and Canada prosper, want a clean environment without the propaganda and want to create a job for your unemployed neighbor at a great wage, speak up now! 

American and Candian Flags

TAKE ACTION! 

The State Department encourages you to join the debate as follows:

As part of the EIS process, members of the public, public agencies, and other interested parties are encouraged to submit comments, questions, and concerns about the project via e-mail to [email protected], at http://www.keystonepipeline-xl.state.gov/, or by mail to:
U.S. Department of State Attn: Genevieve Walker, NEPA Coordinator 2201 C Street NW Room 2726 Washington, D.C. 20520

Lower energy prices, end dependence on conflict oil, generate jobs and cash for the American and Canadian economies.

SPEAK UP FOR KEYSTONE TODAY!