Essay Outline: Construction of Keystone Pipeline

Thesis: Keystone Pipeline from Alberta to Texas shouldnt be built because in long tterm it would cause negative impact environmentally, economically and socially. Argument 1: Keystone pipeline, which would travel from 6 different U.S states, including some sensitive ecosystem, will cause serious damage to the environment Point: Construction of Pipeline would result in loss of vegetation/deforestation According to Greenpeace 4 million hectares Canadas boreal forest in under threat of being clearcut so tar can be accessed (Daniela, Minicucci. Pros and Cons of the Keystone pipeline project. Global News) Construction of Pipeline would impact 11533 acres of grassland/ rangeland and 2523 acres of upland forest

Point 2: From the Pipeline wildlife in its route would also get affected in several ways Blasting in the area could cause disturbance in the form of dust, noise and vibration Construction of pipeline would result in loss and alteration of about 22,493 acres of
wildlife habitat, including 11,533 acres of grasslands and rangelands, 2,523 acres of forested habitat, and 554 acres of wetland habitats (including 271 acres of forested wetlands).

Both Upper Proofs from (U.S Department of State) Point 3: With the land and animals there would also be a big loss of fisheries in the pipeline zone The project would cross total of 91 perennial streams supporting recreational or commercial fisheries (U.S Department of State) Sediments would be released into streams and river from road washouts, which will be built with the pipeline. (U.S Department of State)

Argument 2: The pipelines do have some pro and cons economically but its actually wrong way to invest in and develop with economy Point 1: It will create less jobs in Canada. U.S would be the main one to benefit from it Communication energy and paper workers union has opposed it, saying only Americans stand to benefit (Daniela, Minicucci. Pros and Cons of the Keystone pipeline project. Global News) Americans would get the main jobs, whereas Canadians would get pollution as refining would be done mainly in Texas. Pipeline will create 20,000 jobs and add

$20 billion to the U.S economy (Daniela, Minicucci. Pros and Cons of the Keystone pipeline project. Global News)

It will generate few, if any, local jobs and the oil is likely to be destined for export markets. This is not in the national interest.

Point 2: After all the export to earn money Canadian resources would be at risk -

435000 barrels per day would be exported to U.S ( Elizabeth, Coldwell. Pipeline risk assessment and Environmental Consequence Analysis Between 2 to 4.5 volume units of water are used to produce each volume unit of synthetic crude oil (SCO) in an ex-situ mining operation. ( WIKIPEDIA )
Once the construction is complete, all we are going to be left with is a pipeline sucking up our resources south of the border, and no jobs for future generations,

Point 3: Keystone pipeline would create many jobs in actually a myth - A highspeed railway would create more jobs than the pipeline - keystone would increase the gas prices for America (http://www.tarsandsaction.org/spread-the-word/key-facts-keystone-xl/

Argument 3: Socially keystone pipeline would also have negative effects

Point: Water Contamination would also be a major problem in making of this pipeline If pipeline gets leaked it would add dangerous chemicals into water which is used by many communities one teaspoon of benzene (0.005 ppm) can contaminate 260,660 89gallons of water 1.7 million gallons on a day could be the average without trigging leak detection The potential for groundwater contamination is greater where the water table is relatively close to the surface, and where the soils overlying the aquifer are porous materials. Depending on the type of pipe failure, the volume of the spill, the depth of the groundwater and the soil conditions in the area, a crude oil spill could continue to move and contaminate an aquifer or adjacent property for years.

Point 2: Pipeline can also become really dangerous when closed to local communities National Transportation Safety Board (NSTB), a single pipeline accidentcan injure hundreds of persons, affect thousands more, and cost millions of dollars in

property damage, loss of work opportunity, community disruption, ecological damage, and insurance liability Explosions on large natural gas pipelines can kill people hundreds of feet away and spills from oil ( Pipelines may extend miles away from the pipeline and often can never be fully cleaned up. * ALL Social Points from (TransCanada-Keystone Crude Oil Pipeline, Web Walter Development Association)