CAN I HAVE YOUR ATTENTION PLEASE?

                                                                       

THERE IS A LOT OF OPINIONS REGARDING THE STOPPING OF THE KEYSTONE PIPELINE. SO I WANTED TO THROW MY TWO CENTS WORTH IN. FIRST OF ALL THE PIPELINE HAS NOT BEEN SHUT DOWN. THE FIRST THREE PHASES OF THE PIPELINE WERE COMPLETED FROM 2010-2017. THE OIL FROM CANADA HAS BEEN PUMPED THROUGH THE MIDWEST AND IS STILL IN FULL USE TODAY. IT IS ONLY PHASE 4 THAT HAS BEEN STOPPED. THIS PHASE WOULD HAVE RUN A LARGER PIPELINE FOR A MORE DIRECT ROUTE AND MERGE WITH THE ORIGINAL PIPELINE IN NEBRASKA. SINCE THE PIPELINE FROM NEBRASKA TO THE GULF COAST REMAINS THE SAME, THE PRODUCTION LEVEL WOULD NOT INCREASE THE AMOUNT OF CRUDE TO THE REFINERY. THE MAJORITY OF THE OIL THAT IS SENT THROUGH THE PIPELINE IS FROM CANADA, AND THE PIPELINE IS OWNED BY A CANADIAN FIRM. THE OIL IS REFINED IN TEXAS FOR THE MOST PART AND LOADED ON TO TANKERS AND SOLD MOSTLY TO COUNTRIES OTHER THAN THE U.S., INCLUDING CHINA AND OTHER ASIAN MARKETS. THERE IS SOME US HEAVY CRUDE SENT THROUGH THE PIPELINE AND REFINED, BUT DOES NOT AFFECT AMERICAN ENERGY INDEPENDENCE BY MUCH. SO WHAT IS THE BIG DEAL? IN MY OPINION, THE GREATEST RISK COMES FROM WATER CONTAMINATION FROM SPILLS. THE EXISTING PIPELINE HAD A WELD ANOMALY IN 2016 THAT LEAKED 400 BARRELS, IN 2017 9600 BARREL OF OIL LEAKED ONTO FARMLAND IN AMERHURST S.D. IN 2018 NEWS WAS RELEASED THAT THE LEAKS IN THE PIPELINE WERE GROSSLY UNDERSTATED BY THE PIPELINE CO. IN 2019 A RUPTURE IN EDINBURG N.D. RESULTED IN A 912 BARREL SPILL. THE PIPELINE CO. ITSELF HAS PREDICTED THE PROBABILITY OF 11 SIGNIFICANT SPILLS OVER THE NEXT 50 YEARS. IF THEIR PREDICTIONS IS 11, HOW MANY DO YOU REALLY THINK IT MIGHT BE? THE PHASE 4 PIPELINE WAS BEING BUILT TO CROSS THE OGALLALA AQUIFER IN NEBRASKA. IT IS ONE OF THE WORLDS LARGEST FRESH WATER RESOURCES  AND IS RESPOSIBLE FOR MOST OF THE AGRICULTURAL AND DRINKING WATER IN THE MIDWEST AND SOUTHERN AREAS. THE PHASE ONE PIPELINE ALREADY RUNS OVER THE AQUIFER LAND AND THE PHASE 4 PIPELINE WOULD DOUBLE THE OPROTUNITY FOR DISASTER. IF A TERRORIST WANTED TO INFLICT A HUGE DAMAGE TO THE AMERICAN AGRICULTURAL ECCONOMY THE PIPELINE IS A VERY SOFT TARGET, SO WHY NOT ADD A SECOND ONE? ALSO SINCE DECEMBER, WATER FUTURES ARE NOW BEING TRADED ON THE COMMODITIES MARKET. CAN YOU IMAGINE AN UNSCRUPULOUS COMPANY INVESTING THAT THE PRICE OF WATER WILL GO SKY HIGH IF THE AQUIFER IS CONTAMINATED MAKING A FORTUNE? AFTER LIVING THROUGH  THE FORD PINTO, THE NESTLES BABY FORMULA SCANDAL,  FLINT MICHIGAN, AND A HOST OF OTHER EXAMPLES OF CORPORATIONS PUTING MONEY OVER HUMAN LIVES, I SURE COULD.

THANK YOU FOR LETTING ME RAMBLE ON. THIS IS NOT A REPUBLICAN OR DEMOCRATIC ISSUE BUT AN AMERICAN AND HUMAN ISSUE.

 

UNTIL NEXT TIME STAY SAFE AND SANE

THE BEGGAR'S APPRENTICE