Keystone Pipeline Construction

Perhaps one of the most widely debated topics, in recent years, is the construction of the Keystone XL Pipeline. The completion of the project has been done in multiple phases and one of the last phases scheduled to be completed is the phase 4 extension. This extension would create a pipeline that would trek, around 2000 miles, from Alberta Canada to the gulf coast of Texas (Friends of the Earth). Since the pipeline would cross international borders, approval from congress would be necessary in order to begin construction (NPR). The two main issue points on the topic are the economic gains that could incur from the development of the pipeline and the overall impression on the environment that would ensue from extraction, transportation, and refining of the oil. …show more content…
“Regardless of whether other oil sands transport options move ahead, approval of Keystone XL will lead to substantial expansion of oil sands production and therefore an increase in global greenhouse gas emissions (Lemphers).” The emissions created from refining the tar sands oil is linked to increased smog and acid rain in local refining areas (Friends of the Earth). Emissions that increase global greenhouse gasses are also bad for the environment due to the fact that they can be linked to global warming (Cappiello). With these known long term effects as possibilities, should we continue to destroy our earth? The development of these dirty, tar sands oil requires innovation in technological and environmental fields to efficiently and fiscally provide a positive result (University of Texas at Austin 29). An increase in the technologies used to develop these dirty, tar sands oil could one day help us to accept it as a reliable clean energy. Until the tar sands oil can be dealt with without having a major impact on the environment it should be left to be handled by future scientist in order to do the least amount of damage on our