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Weiland Opposes Keystone XL

Rick Weiland makes clear he's my kind of Democrat. In a March 10 interview with Tasiyagnunpa Livermont on the Cheyenne River Sioux Reservation, Weiland says that, polls be darned, he opposes the Keystone XL pipeline:

Weiland says proponents are exaggerating the domestic energy and jobs benefits:

The problem I've got with the Keystone piepline as its been proposed is that it's an export pipeline. Very little if any of the oil, tar sand oil, that's going to be coming through South Dakota is going to stay in the United States. Most of it's going overseas.

The other thing you hear about too is that it's supposed to create all these jobs, and... the last report I read, which was put out by the Government Accounting Office... basically says we're talking about 35 full-time jobs, permanent jobs, and we don't even know how many of those are going to be in South Dakota, and the 2,000 that its going to take to build the pipeline, those are temporary jobs.

The oil that's going to be shipped is really not going to contribute to our energy independence. And the jobs? It's not a jobs bill. Those are the two things that the proponents, the people that want to build Keystone are focused on, and... from the research I've done, that's just not the case.

So what you end up having... is an awful lot of risk associated with the construction of this and the potential for impacts on the environment and very little reward, and that's why I'm opposed to it [Rick Weiland, interview with Tasiyagnunpa Livermont, Cheyenne River Sioux Reservation, 2014.03.10].

With such illusory benefits, South Dakota and the United States wouldn't really receive compensation for the significant risks Keystone XL would bring to, for example, the Ogallala aquifer:

...You look at what it takes in terms of the extraction of the oil and the energy that is consumed to do that, the transportation... they have to heat the tar sand up so it becomes almost liquefied, through a pipeline that crosses over precious water resources like the Ogallala and the potential for the damage that could occur, and the fact that we're not really getting anything for taking on that risk. I think that in and of itself is reason not to build it [Weiland, 2014.03.10].

Only demerits here: Weiland skips the part of Livermont's question about Keystone XL's crossing of Indian treaty land. Our Lakota neighbors are ready to wage war on the pipeline, in part because they contend TransCanada and the federal government have not sufficiently consulted with them in the permitting process. The bogus claims of jobs and energy independence are headline issues, but Keystone XL opponents should never miss the chance to build allies on the reservation and to remind all of us that TransCanada is pushing Keystone XL in ways that perpetuate centuries of abuse and neglect of Native interests.

But Weiland's explicit opposition to Keystone XL at least makes clear the door is open to the conversation about treaty rights, not to mention the property rights that South Dakota courts have surrendered to the foreign pipeline profiteers at TransCanada. This opposition is also one more sign that Weiland is willing to challenge big money when it acts against the best interests of South Dakota.

71 Comments

  1. Paul Seamans 2014.03.14

    This article is spot on. Dakota Rural Action, the Black Hills Clean Water Alliance, and Bold Nebraska have been allied and are working with our Lakota, Dakota, Nakota friends for at least three years now. The old CIA (Cowboy Indian Alliance) has been revitalized and continues to gather strength. A week long D.C. rally of local and national allies is being set up for the week of April 22nd in opposition to the Keystone XL.

  2. John Tsitrian 2014.03.14

    A lot of arguments against the pipeline merit consideration, but this one about it being an "export" pipeline is virtually meaningless. First off, in the event of a national energy emergency I have no doubt that the supplies passing through Houston to export markets can be redirected to American users. More to the point though, oil is a world market and KXL would be adding to the world supply putting downward pressure on oil prices the world over, including the United States. Given all the disruptions in the Middle East and the Black Sea in recent years, oil prices have been relatively calm, largely because oil output in North America has moved up significantly. I believe that this supports the "energy security" argument that KXL proponents advance. However, I do believe the environmental and property/treaty rights issues are germane and need to be resolved before KXL gets built. For the record, I own commercial property not far from KXL's SD path and stand to gain something from its construction, though I can live with the decision either way.

  3. larry kurtz 2014.03.14

    Earth haters will have a cow after President Obama outlines the conditions for its construction. KXL might get created but it will never be completed. TransCanada should just paint targets on every section of pipe.

  4. He spoke favorably of sovereignty and trust responsibilities to tribes off camera, though, but yeah, he sorta skipped that part.

    Really though, the tribes have had TransCanada reps visit them, and most tribes have sent those reps packing. If this thing is built and any money is made, it IS just more money that our nations should have by rights, but we won't see it, and would we even want it? Its pretty much blood money. The earth's blood that is.

    Weiland does very well at kitchen table politicking. Remember I thought him too scripted at the SD Indian Business Alliance Policy meeting in Pierre this winter? This was not a wholly different Weiland, but definitely a much more real Weiland, and I can't fault him for that.

    We talked a bit about the state of the Democrat Party in SD. This guy might make me register Dem again.

  5. Jerry 2014.03.14

    The current news from New York City says it all. Old pipe in the ground that is corroded and failing fast leads to disaster. This proposed pipe will leak as certain as the sun rises. When that happens, it will pollute this land like nothing else before it. The tourism industry will suffer, the ag industry will suffer and more importantly, the water we need to survive will be devastated. We already have one Keystone pipeline in our state, if this one happens, why not 20 more? How many jobs do we have from that currently? How many leaks have we had so far with that simpler pipeline? How much moolah has the state of South Dakota received for that existing pipeline? It just is not worth it. You cannot drink oil, only castor oil and we all know what happens when you do that.

  6. Becca Pivonka 2014.03.14

    Living in Nebraska, this is a huge issue down here. Most don't want it. The ranchers and farmers this will effect don't want it. Too bad Nebraska's representatives have Big Oil shoving money in their back pockets and will not listen to the will of the people, and instead keep trying to tell the nation we do want it.

  7. Winston 2014.03.14

    Isn't it just refreshing to have a statewide candidate for office in South Dakota actually saying "No" to Keystone for once?…

    If Weiland wins with the help of Presslers political flanking and the further demise of the Rounds candidacy due to the EB-5 controversy, then he has the potential to be a leader in the US Senate in a way which could answer the current void which exists in DC in answer to the question "What's the Matter with Kansas?"

    The true test to a Senator Weiland will be whether he continues with his liberalism once elected or whether he becomes a pragmatist concerned merely about 2020. It will be his call. Will he be a McGovern/Abourezk Senator or a Daschle/Johnson Senator? They are all good men, but what is good for the Party's morale is not always good for the successful candidate - and a Senator Weiland will have to ask how his success can best prepare and preserve the SDDP for the 21st century….. If this retrospect and concern is not heeded by a Senator Weiland with a understanding of the pragmatic similarities between Daschle, Johnson, and Herseth-Sandlin in relation to McGovern and Abourezk, then the feuds that he and his political associates have had with the Herseth-Sandlin wing of the SDDP over the past year were not genuine, and history will see it as merely a feud between cliques and not a genuine battle of political philosophies or direction for the South Dakota Democratic Party…. It will be in Senator Weiland's hand, if he is elected, and his position on Keystone is a good start towards that political genuineness.

  8. Sam 2014.03.14

    Ricks stand is moot he will not win in November. This will not be a issue he can win those against the pipeline will vote democrat anyway.Piplines are still the safest way to transport oil.

  9. larry kurtz 2014.03.14

    illiterate much, sam?

  10. caheidelberger Post author | 2014.03.14

    Sterilized needles may be the best way to deliver heroin, but that doesn't mean you shouldn't break the addiction.

  11. lesliengland 2014.03.14

    yup. As the National Interest Determination continues, Administration officials considering the mounting evidence that Keystone XL is a linchpin for tar sands expansion will reach their own conclusions and decide whether a pipeline likely to increase carbon emissions by 27.4 million metric tons is in the national interest. Secretary Kerry recognizes that climate change poses a threat as urgent as “terrorism, epidemics, poverty and the proliferation of weapons of mass destruction” and that each major infrastructure decision we make dictates whether our country slides down the path of business as usual policies leading to climate catastrophe. http://theenergycollective.com/nrdcswitchboard/351991/why-keystone-xl-tar-sands-pipeline-matters-climate

  12. Anne Beal 2014.03.14

    I've decided you democrats just want worldwide famine. Give people food stamps and let them buy carbon credits with them. I am waiting for a talking head on NPR to announce that "carbon credits taste just like chicken." How can you plow a field, plant seed , harvest a crop and get it to market without oil? You can't. I saw an interesting discussion of world wide population which pointed out that humans numbered a pretty steady 1 billion people prior to the use of the internal combustion engine, and the rapid growth of human population was the result. Without oil, we'll starve.

  13. Jerry 2014.03.14

    My, what a stretch there Anne Beal. What if you don't like chicken? Most of us indies and dems prefer beef, I don't actually know what republicans like to devour other than poor white working people.

  14. Paul Seamans 2014.03.14

    Anne, yes I agree oil is important. Those of us against the KXL would argue that water is even more so.

  15. mike from iowa 2014.03.14

    Someday when you wingnuts have totally polluted the food supply and fresh water with your never ending quest for oil dollars,chicken will taste like crude oil and so will water. Me,I'd much prefer chicken to taste like.....well,chicken.

  16. mike from iowa 2014.03.14

    Anne B-you must be young and tender. Never heard of draft horses or the Amish people. They seem to get along fine with virtually no mechanized equipment. All our food was raised that way once and some still is. We run out of oil someday,like oil companies predict,and you'll be staring at the back end of horses to get around.

  17. Deb Geelsdottir 2014.03.14

    Cory's "needles" comment, and Paul's "water" comment were excellent. Witty, quick and truthful.

    Regarding a need for oil: If we went back to only human or animal power, our planet would suffer mass starvation. Very small bits of the earth's population can do fine with primitive farming methods, but we wouldn't be feeding the world. Cities would become death camps.

    However, all that being said, there are multiple power sources, fossil fuel being only one. I think Anne Beale is on the wrong track thinking our power sources are oil or nothing.

  18. Jerry 2014.03.14

    If you take a look at rooftop gardens, you can do a lot in cities. Urban areas could use a lot of the land that was once used for factories to grow stuff. Death camps would only be because you did not know how to can or preserve. We are destroying the world to use food to put in our vehicles and to feed livestock to feed us. There is something very wrong with that picture. One thing is for sure, the rates for obesity would drop very quickly. If you spot a chubby feller, follow him because that household knows how to make gravy.

  19. Les 2014.03.15

    "We already have one Keystone pipeline in our state, if this one happens, why not 20 more?"
    .
    I believe the XL easement contains room for an extra pipe or three. Not sure of the exact number.
    .
    While obvious technology doesn't hold it high, hydrogen when burned creates water just waiting to be recreated back into hydrogen. All of our implements would easily transform to burning hydrogen.

  20. Robin 2014.03.15

    It's a nice symbolic move , however what Weiland was just looking for a good campaign stunt. Weiland should have been down at the western end of the state, where the arms of the XL are in progress. At the very least , he should have been spreading information about the arms of the XL are currently being laid in the state. That would have truly defined him as anti XL , but then he would have had to actually define his views , rather than straddling the fence . I know some are you are going to say he at least did something, Really why do we settle for a symbolic action rather than real meaningful action !

  21. Jerry 2014.03.15

    How much energy does it take to burn the hydrogen to condense it in a water form? Why not just eliminate the black snake and utilize wind and solar along with geo-thermal? We have an abundance of all three here in South Dakota. In fact, we have enough renewable here to export it to Canada and beyond.

    Regarding Weiland and his statements opposing XL, I believe he has been in the far western portions of South Dakota and as far as I know, he has opposed it there as well. Dupree is not so far from the far north west portion of the state.

  22. Jessie 2014.03.15

    Robin, I have several questions. How would you define symbolic versus meaningful action for a candidate for office? What were you hoping Rick might have done?

    As for being in the western part of the state, this guy has visited more than 300 of the 311 towns in SD and is on his way to completing that count and probably starting over. What more are you asking for?

    I'm also curious as to why you think his opposition is "straddling the fence." How could he have been clearer in his views as expressed in the video attached to this post?

  23. Les 2014.03.15

    You burn the hydrogen in your car and water comes out the tail pipe, Jer. It makes energy. The trick is storage from your wind generation of hydrogen.

  24. Les 2014.03.15

    Ask Bret Clanton how far Dupree is from his ranch Jer. Not a bad move if Rick is planning on leading the CIA.

  25. mike from iowa 2014.03.15

    Forty years ago,we had a gas shortage and gas lines and rising oil prices and speed limit reductions. Now, we seem to have all the oil we need if we let Big Awl screw us to death on the price. We had to conserve back then,we have to profit Big Awl now. Were we being lied to then and now? I remember being told back then that oil would all be used up in about fifty years.

  26. Jerry 2014.03.15

    It is 131 miles to Buffalo, South Dakota from Dupree, South Dakota where Weiland made his statement. I have driven that far for a dance in the old days and that was my point. What is yours Les?

  27. Les 2014.03.15

    Like Dupree gives a shat about Bret Clanton. Big difference in testosterone in a teen and promised oil tax revenue we get to spend off Bret Clanton's shoulders.

  28. Frank James 2014.03.15

    I'm pleased to hear about Rick's position. The above comment about his winning or loosing is ill placed. The eventual outcome of this race has nothing to do with a brave candidate taking a clear stance. Besides the Republican front runner may have some future problems to deal with.

  29. caheidelberger Post author | 2014.03.15

    Winston, I want very much to give Rick the chance to take that test. Idealist on the trail, pragmatist in office? I'll have words for him if he wins, then reverses on KXL.

  30. caheidelberger Post author | 2014.03.15

    Anne, Anne, Anne, now you're just concocting an absurd line with which you can dismiss all Democrats without thinking. I do not want worldwide famine. I want worldwide sustainable wealth. The Alberta tar sands are not a sustainable energy source. They are desperate resource exploitation that extends the revenue stream of the oil barons but diverts our resources and attention from developing alternative energy sources that will ease our withdrawal from fossil fuels. That withdrawal is inevitable. We can talk about and act on it now, or we can wait until we are in crisis. Which do you prefer?

  31. bret clanton 2014.03.15

    I spoke with Mr. Weiland in Buffalo on Wednesday regarding this subject. I believe he is opposed to the concept except he could make himself more knowledgeable about it..But you can not expect one to know everything about everything...

  32. caheidelberger Post author | 2014.03.15

    Hold on, Robin: you say TransCanada is actually building segments of the pipeline? Where in South Dakota? I want to go see. (And yes, I'll need to burn some fossil fuels to get there... unless Les can hook me up with a hydrogen converter kit for the Bug.)

  33. caheidelberger Post author | 2014.03.15

    Bret, candidates have an obligation to educate the public. You remind us that we have an obligation to educate our candidates. I'm glad Rick is out and about giving folks in every town the chance to offer that education.

  34. Roger Cornelius 2014.03.15

    If Anne Beal is not on medication, she should be. Actually, it is Republicans that want worldwide, or at least American famine. Anne, do you recall the recent drastic cut to SNAP and which party was responsible for it? In fairness, those food stamp cuts may not cause famine, but it will leave a whole segment of society hungry.

  35. Les 2014.03.15

    I expect a US Senate candidate to know quite a bit about XL, Brett. We know Mike Rounds has opinions of whom to support when he vetoed Sen Maher's bill which would have protected our citizens with a Cleanup Fund by pulling 2 cents per barrel until the reserve of (30Mil??) was met.
    .
    Though my future is brighter with a pipe, I'm no fan of eminent domain nor environmental abuse. That said, the pipe if properly designed and operated is much safer than the rail. We shall see how well Berkshire has fed our Pres.

  36. mike from iowa 2014.03.15

    Berkshire recently bought 5000 new and improved tank cars to haul oil in.

  37. mike from iowa 2014.03.15

    “Since the passage of the farm bill, states have found ways to cheat, once again, on signing up people for food stamps,” House Speaker John Boehner said to reporters on Thursday. “And so I would hope that the House would act to try to stop this cheating and this fraud from continuing.”

    Here's Johnny-the Boner, Speaker of the House letting rill 'murricans know how contemptuous he is of people on the SNAP program and the states that prefer to help the needy,not the greedy.

  38. mike from iowa 2014.03.15

    Boner is concerned that states are allowing more heating aid to families so their SNAP benefits don't get cut. This asshat has a heart of solid dog feces.

  39. Les 2014.03.15

    "dismiss all Democrats without thinking" Democrats and thinking in the same sentence? Sorry Cory, this sounds kinda like an oxymoron. Only at Maddville where I regularly see the similar disease of broad characterization.

  40. interested party 2014.03.15

    Good to see earth haters like Les afraid of Weiland.

  41. mike from iowa 2014.03.15

    http://priceofoil.org/content/uploads/2011/09/CU_KeystoneXL_090711_FIN2.pdf
    Keystone jobs related study from the Perryman Group used stats fro Trans-Canada and stretched out over 100 years(20k permanent,118k temp. and 108k man-years of employment). Gubmint says more like 6000 total jobs,mostly to foreigners.
    Hot,high pressure,dirty bitumen coming to an acquifer near you. What could possibly go wrong?

  42. Roger Cornelius 2014.03.15

    Quite obviously Les is suffering from the same disease that Anne Beal does, surely they make some kind of medicine to help them.

    If Rick knew everything there is to know about Keystone he wouldn't need voters input, would he Les?

  43. Lanny V Stricherz 2014.03.15

    Okay, so Mr Weiland doesn't know all there is to know about Keystone. How much does Mike Rounds know, other than that Trans Canada promised quite a few millions of dollars to our school districts for the first Keystone pipeline. And now they are returning a grand 10 cents on the dollar on those promises. So what has Mike or his successor or the legislature that so grandiosely just gave a whopping couple of million to the school systems, done about those promises? Did they even talk about putting the States approval of Keystone XL on hold until the previous promises had been kept?

    As many folks have pointed out Mr Weiland has been out meeting folks all over the State, getting their ideas, letting them know where he stands on issues and letting them know that he is going to be there to represent them if he is fortunate enough to get the most votes. Mr Rounds on the other hand, spent 6 days at the thrones of Netanyahu, Shimon Peres and the Knesset to let AIPAC know that he will be there for Israel should he be elected US Senator from SD. That of course was to get started on that 9 million that he said he would raise for the election. Oh and I saw him out at the Sportsmen's show here in SF, last weekend. I was going to start chanting EB-5 but just didn't have the courage. Besides there were guns there. This is South Dakota.

  44. Les 2014.03.15

    Reading comprehension around here much? Still Madd over at Maddville I see.

  45. Lanny V Stricherz 2014.03.15

    You're correct Les, I can't comprehend a word you have written.

  46. Jerry 2014.03.15

    The comprehension is duly noted for Les, but to his credit, he did state that "my future is brighter with a pipe". Readers like myself, must assume then that Les is in fact, on the pipe.

  47. Les 2014.03.15

    Assume as you like Jer, your candidate will get educated by the voter if he doesn't educate himself first. Their is value in knowing your opposition as to the point I made above on Rounds.
    .
    Save your angst for November, reality will bite soon enough.

  48. Jerry 2014.03.15

    You know what they say about assume Les. Rounds may just walk away from this for all you know or anyone knows. A lot of whiskey can flow under the bridge between now and election day. Rounds is tainted goods man, there is way too much taxpayer money that has not been accounted for.

  49. Nick Nemec 2014.03.16

    Mike Rounds ran state government as a good old boys club where you had to pay to play. No bid contracts and economic development grants abounded and were liberally handed out to campaign supporters.

  50. caheidelberger Post author | 2014.03.16

    Lumping me and Anne Beal in the same category, Les? Bring me the dueling pistols! :-)

  51. Les 2014.03.16

    Cory and Anne in the same sentence would not be as far apart one might think. However sick Roger thinks she may be, I believe she wants to better our country, contrary to those in politics who want to steal us blind. She just doesn't understand at times, who has their hand in her pocket.
    .
    We all know what Mike Rounds has done Nick and I've presented many arguments about the corruption of the EB5 program. My point that many have seem to missed is, as a candidate,"know your audience and your opposition".
    .
    Good morning Corey, nice to see someone here who hasn't burned their toast.

  52. Jerry 2014.03.16

    Les, let us hope that Berkshire has rubbed off on not only the president, but of our inept House of Representatives along with the republican arm of the Senate. Rail is the way for sure for our future just as it was for the past. Even that dumb cluck of a senator, John Thune gets it, if he is bribed enough. We are sucking the hind one when it comes to progress. We are quite willing to do great damage to our water and our land to provide oil for China while they are making great progress in their infrastructure to beat us at our own game. http://www.dailykos.com/story/2014/03/16/1285080/-Amazing-photos-show-us-why-the-American-transportation-network-has-fallen-off-the-rails

    The Sage of Omaha is correcto mundo once again proving his ability to predict outcomes. It may be a better investment than betting against America.

  53. mike from iowa 2014.03.16

    Begich from Alaska is hardly in trouble. He leans far enough right to be considered a wingnut. Cornyn,in Texas,beat the stoopidest,least likely moron to ever be re-elected to anything-Steve "I invited Gomer Nugent to the SOTU Address" Stockman,in a red state so gerrymandered that a Dem may never get elected there ever,even if no wingnuts run for office.

  54. Rick 2014.03.16

    The Natural Resources Defense Council’s report from 2011 did an excellent job of comparing the liabilities of using pipelines to pump conventional crude underground vs. the far thicker, much more viscose and far more toxic stuff that comes from the tar sands fields in northern Alberta. See the chart at the bottom of page 6.

    http://www.nrdc.org/energy/files/tarsandssafetyrisks.pdf

    A recent example of how damaging and uncontainable a spill from these higher pressure pipelines occurred on the Kalamazoo River. See the photo on page 7 to view the 6.5 foot long gash that spewed millions of gallons into the river. It took 19 hours for emergency personnel to be notified the spill occurred. And they are still cleaning up this mess nearly four years later because the sludge sinks to the bottom, poisoning the soil for generations.

    Let’s just forget for a moment the arguments about climate change and the incredible and massive destruction of the Boreal Forest land to steam out and scrape the sludge form the earth.

    How stupid was it for the greedy bastards, and their dupes in and out of government, to design this pipeline over the belly of North America’s largest aquifer? Years after it is built and when – not if – that pipeline starts blowing holes inside the Ogallala Aquifer, and it takes 19 hours or, more likely in sparse ranch land, days to get to the blowout sites and start recovering millions of gallons of highly toxic bitumen, how many years will pass before the toxic chemicals are removed? Whose word are you willing to accept that the toxic mess was cleaned up?

    Remember, this isn’t in a river like the Kalamazoo where you can see which way the toxic spill went. It’s in a deep aquifer with its own physical pressures and flow patterns that are not so easily discernable. It's the source of drinking water.

    How stupid do you have to be to think this is a good idea? The oil magnates have tons of money. They pay virtually no taxes. They can afford to run their pipeline over far more sensible routes than over the water resource for millions of people and for livestock in the Midwest.

  55. mike from iowa 2014.03.16

    Trans-Can has another pipeline in the works from Baker,MT to Steele City,Neb. The sludge fromXL is going to be refined and sold as jet fuel and diesel overseas and Latin America. While this crap takes up pipeline and refinery space-US oil supplies will drop,driving up our prices.This stuff can be piped through Canada to the world and spare middle America a huge,inevitable environmental disaster. As for jobs-there are waterline projects and sewers and highays galore that need to be built-if we can get congress to pay attention to needs in this country.

  56. caheidelberger Post author | 2014.03.16

    For those you clicking links, Larry above sends us the RCJ's latest editorial, which reacts favorably to Weiland's prairie populism. They say his anti-big-corporate tack, including his charge that energy policy is dictated by Big Oil, reminds them of the populist, person-to-person politicking that kept McGovern in office for 22 years.

  57. Jerry 2014.03.16

    The problem with piping it through Canada Mike is those pesky Canadians. They know full well that it is a toxic bomb ready to explode and they do not want it. The sooner they send it to us gringos, the better.

  58. Les 2014.03.16

    What few mention and even fewer know about XL, they fully intend to waiver for an increase in the pressure to also increase volume once they have us by the short hairs(pipe in the ground). I've heard by double but don't know that figure for a fact but do think they were initially running the pressures under a 1000psi and could waiver to 1440psi.
    .
    I do remember the volume of a spill at that higher pressure with the hole the size of pencil lead is in the thousands of gallons in very short order.
    .
    A link of the very few out there on pressure issues.
    http://switchboard.nrdc.org/blogs/aswift/yet_another_leak_on_a_new_pipe.html

  59. Les 2014.03.16

    Baker, Mt has been the proposed on ramp for sometime as a small concession to help get project approval from the US. The Baker area to Steele, Ne, has been the original route and I'm guessing they could possibly build that route without presidential approval as they have in the South. I don't know why they would, if Continental doesn't need them, other than to begin construction with Hilary's approval.
    .
    Continental is rumbling that XL has waited too long and they really don't need her anymore with current oil transport methods handling the load. Continental would have been responsible for supplying 125,000 bbs/day if I remember right, which, maybe they don't want that responsibility at this time.

  60. Rick 2014.03.16

    Jerry, MFI and Les - Good points. Les, you reminded me of last year's major blowout of the pipeline in the Yellowstone River watershed. Turned out the pipeline was intended for conventional crude transmission, and not bitumen. Yet, it was gushing bitumen in the clean waters of our nation. This speaks volumes about who is really in charge.

    The jerks at the oil company made it sound like it was a mild oversight that the more dense, higher pressurized toxic bitumen was being rammed through the line. Had it not blown, I suppose none of us would be the wiser. It leads me to believe these clowns will be as reckless as they want to be -- until they get caught, and then, geez we're sorry and we'll fix it right away.

    This is not good enough. It's our drinking water they're playing mubblypeg with. The plutocrats in the Big Oil board rooms don't have to live out here. They don't drink our water. They don't give a rip if human beings in South Dakota and all points along the KXL route dropped off the side of the earth. We're just in their way to their billions in profits.

  61. mike from iowa 2014.03.16

    Interesting read,Les. I found where XL requested permission to increase pressures slightly-up to 72% of the minimum pipeline rated pressure,but that request was later withdrawn. They also say pressure increases as temperatures rise in the summer. The final supplemental,environmental impact statement is full of charts and figures and gobbledygook. It also will take years to peruse it.

  62. mike from iowa 2014.03.16

    Les-they need John Kerry's permission,now. He's Secretary of State,not Hillary.

  63. Les 2014.03.16

    I'm speaking of President Clinton, not Secretary Clinton. She is already known to be on board with Trans Can.

  64. mike from iowa 2014.03.16

    My humblest apologies,Les. I'll send you an ear of corn as a peace offering-about September.

  65. Lanny V Stricherz 2014.03.16

    The lady in the white pants suit that advertises for the energy industry, (primarily natural gas and oil) says that The Presidents Bush, both Clintons and the majority of COngress and the majority of the American people are in favor of Keystone XL. Funny though none of them live where it is supposed to be.

  66. mike from iowa 2014.03.17

    http://www.newrepublic.com/article/115624/exxon-oil-spill-arkansas-2013-how-pipeline-burst-mayflower

    Here is the runner-up prize for having bitumen run through your state. When this spill occurred,news reporter were not allowed into the town.

    Near Houston,Tx execs from Exxon got an ordinance passed that keeps fracking activities at least a thousand feet away from their fancy homes. In Colo,frackers can get within 300 feet of schools and hospitals. Membership buys its privileges.

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