The Keystone XL Pipeline Debate

Controversy surrounds us in every walk of life. In 2016, there have been many issues debated due to the presidential election. One being the Keystone XL Pipeline. There are two general sides to this issue. Those in favor of building the pipeline and those against it. Before examining any views on the issue we must first do an in depth analysis on what exactly this pipeline is and why it is so controversial. Then, I will examine how the democratic presidential candidate, Hillary Clinton, views the issue. According to BBC News, the Keystone XL pipeline is a 1,897 km long pipeline that carries crude oil from Alberta, Canada, runs vertically through the United States, and will eventually end in Houston, Texas. The pipeline is projected to produce 830,000 bpd (barrels per day). The pipeline was created by a company called TransCanada and first proposed to the US in 2008. TransCanada claims …show more content…
According to BBC News the pipeline will “create 42,000 jobs over a two-year construction period, the US State Department estimates - 35 of which would remain after the pipeline is built” (News). This is a large number of jobs created in the short run, but not so many in the long run. According to the impact analysis on the pipeline, “construction of the proposed Project would contribute approximately $3.4 billion (or 0.02 percent) to the U.S. gross domestic product (GDP)” (United States). This would promote economic growth tremendously during the years of construction, but during operation years economic output will be insignificant. Another factor of this pipeline that will promote economic growth is the property tax revenue it will generate. In the same analysis, the United States OES found that property tax revenues will increase more than 10%. This will continue to promote economic growth every year that the pipeline is in