Obama Nixes Keystone to Fight Climate Change, But Gov't Report Shows Alternative Will Increase Greenhouse Gas Emissions
(CNSNews.com) – President Barack Obama formally rejected the proposed Keystone XL Pipeline earlier this month, citing [1] its contribution to climate change, but a State Department report shows greenhouse gas emissions from the alternative method of rail delivery would actually increase.
“America is now a global leader when it comes to taking serious action to fight climate change,” Obama said in remarks from the White House. “And, frankly, approving this project would have undercut that global leadership.”
According to the State Department’s January 2014 Final Supplemental Environmental Impact Statement, greenhouse gas emissions will actually increase without the Keystone pipeline if the crude oil from Canada is alternatively transported by rail across the U.S.
“During operation of all No Action rail scenarios, the increased number of unit trains along the scenario routes would result in GHG emissions from both diesel fuel combustion and electricity generation to support rail terminal operations (as well as for pump station operations for the Rail/Pipeline Scenario),” the statement stated. “The total annual GHG emissions (direct and indirect) attributed to the No Action scenarios range from 28 to 42 percent greater than for the proposed Project.”
However, data [2] from the Department of Transportation’s (DOT) Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration (PHMSA), shows TransCanada’s [3] 1,179-mile pipeline from Alberta, Canada to Steele City, Neb., would have represented only a small fraction of the approximately 66,679 miles – or 2 ½ times the Earth’s circumference -- of crude oil pipelines operating in the United States.
The total mileage of all pipelines in the U.S., including crude oil, other liquids and natural gas is 2.6 million, according to PHMSA.
Source URL:
http://cnsnews.com/news/article/penny-starr/obama-nixes-keystone-fight-climate-change-state-dept-report-shows
