ODT: The Keystone XL Pipeline

C1: Harmful Production Job Destuction The pipeline would create no more about 4,650 temporary direct jobs. After the artificial bubble of two years to construct the pipeline, those jobs would be gone. And these numbers are from TransCanada. [1] The State Dept. determined that the Keystone XL pipeline would create no more than 6,000 modest new direct jobs. And with the new prices of oil, any such benefits of the temporary jobs would be drowned out. The amount of permanent jobs would be about 50. [9] This includes jobs for maintenance, and upkeep, mostly for spills over 800,000 gallons, as any spills under this amount are not registered and are therefore free to ravage the surrounding lands. [4] The steel for the pipeline will be pretty much entirely produced in China and India. And, these are the same manufacturing companies that made the first brittle pipeline! [4] Midwest Oil Prices The pipeline will redirect tar sands oil from the Midwest, so it can be sold at higher prices in the Gulf and export markets. [1] Prices of oil would rise $3 a barrel [2], and gas prices in the Midwest to increase by 20 cents a gallon [1], and the cost hikes of oil in the Midwest will sweep through the economy, causing an estimated $2-4 billion in additional costs in the Midwest. Thus, the amount of new costs in the economy will drown out the temporary effect of temporary jobs. The increase in oil costs will send about $2 billion out of the American economy to Canada and to oil exporting countries instead. [2] So, over time the job creation will be negative. So, in addition to a dirty environment and job losses, the USA would basically be shooting itself in the foot so Koch Industries can enjoy a flurry of new profits to gorge, while doing what with these profits? Drill more of the stuff that is killing us — drilling more tar oil. Slowing Clean Energy GrowthThe Green energy sector believes that the KXL pipeline would impede progress towards a real, clean energy solution to our energy problems. [10]KXL pipeline is a double edged sword in this regard. In addition to shredding our environment to bits through dirty energy production and location, it is less efficient.Clean energy jobs are higher paid (13% higher pay) [1] and the have higher returns. Clean energy jobs have four times the job growth of dirty energy jobs with the same amount of investment, since clean energy has lower costs over time. [11] By reducing overall global demand for clean energy over tar sands oil, it is harming this growing sector of the economy. C2: Dirty Environment Destroy Environment George Lakoff says it best; "The Canadian tar sands oil pits lie under an enormous boreal forest, which sequesters a huge amount of carbon dioxide, and is the only habitat for some of the largest populations of woodland caribou left in the world; in addition, 30 percent of North America's songbirds and 40% of its waterfowl rely on the wetlands and waterways of the boreal forest. Getting the tar sands requires clear-cutting thousands of acres of the boreal forests, diverting rivers, and strip-mining. Destroying that forest will certainly make those species of songbirds go extinct, and significantly increase global warming. The tar sands are sticky and dirty." "There are additional negative systemic effects. Heat is not enough to get tar to flow. To get tar out of the ground, you have to pump in a huge amount of water and toxic chemicals. The water used to go underneath the sticky oil and pushing it up is so polluted by the toxic chemicals that it is rendered unfit to drink. The oil companies do not pay for the water; they simply drain the aquifer it comes from while letting much of the poisoned water stay in the ground." [4] The Keystone XL pipeline would cross the Ogallala Aquifer, which provides 30% of America's ground water, and over 1.5 million people rely on. [5] So, you get a destruction of forests and several species as well as increasing global warming, and polluting vast sums of water which all results into a dirty environment. And, since the TransCanada would not register spills under 800,000 gallons, [4] many areas that had spills (the first section spilled 12 times in the first year), would be allowed to splurge and flood our wildlands with hot toxic water. Unstable Pipe The pipe is three feet in diameter. The steel the pipe is made from is 0.465 inches thick, less than half an inch. Over 1,700 miles of the pipeline, the steel is exposed to 1,600 pounds of force per square inch. [4] The steel for the pipe is made in China and India. Think about this: Just one flaw in the steel along the whole 1,700 miles, or one mistake by a worker doing the pipefitting, and you will get what? A huge explosion, that releases vast amounts of hot poisoned water plus tar, which will then sink into the local water table and and aquifer and cannot be cleaned up. The surrounding land will become uninhabitable. The first Keystone pipeline spilled 12 times the twelve months. [3] This is a demonstration of failure. And the prognosis would look bleak. The benefits from Keystone XL? The destruction of songbirds, the destruction of boreal forests and waterways, the "free" water used in aquifers, and the increase in global warming. And who pays for these costs? The people living along the pipeline. Therefore, Keystone XL is severely damaging to the environment. C3: Higher Oil Prices Keystone XL redirects current tar sand oil from the Midwest to the Gulf, where it would be exported worldwide. [1] Thus, is has no benefit to America here. By redirecting oil from the Midwest, the supply is decreased. With a lower supply, and demand constant, prices increase. As I've said, the $3 billion in new oil costs for the Midwest will be long term, not like the 4,650 jobs that are temporary and last for two years. And the cost of environmental turmoil is also long term. Compare it to a drug. You get a high, only once, and the high isn't good. Then, the pain is long term. There is only one form of rehabilitation, get off the drug. Which would be the Keystone XL pipeline. ***Continued on Link Below***(DDO is having a glitch that prevents you from posting 8,000 characters. The link plus this round = 8,000 characters or less. http://www.debate.org...