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Jake R. Kidd

Mrs.Grimaldi

Honors English Language Arts

17 February 2016

Keystone XL Pipeline Controversy

e---—Today is a time of uncertainty and questioning for us ll. The Keystone XL

pipeline is a crude oil pipeline that the US and Canada can use to transport crude oil to refineries

on the east coast. Its construction would certainly grow the US energy sector and provide a boon

for the US economy. t can be seen that there kcthrase

is o logical reason c,lqritäto not co truct this pipeline.

the Keystone XL pipeline should be approved by the US government as

it will create jobs and boost the American economy while no real effect on the

environment.

The proposed pipeline would create an impressive amount of jobs through not only its

construction, but additionally through businesses that would spring up and rely on its creation.

The Keystone XL pipeline would "support more than 42,000 jobs, ranging from construction

jobs for welders and pipefitters to support jobs at hotels and gas stations—all without spending a

dime of taxpayer money" (Thune). Also, the pipeline would pay billions in property taxes for

local governments. You see thht "In South Dakota alone, the pipeline would bring in $20

million per year in property taxes" (Thune). 42,000 jobs and $20 billion dollars are huge

numbers and they only consider the pipeline itself. The point is that while the numbers above e

very impressive, there will be tremendously larger numbers when jobs and businesses æcreated

that aren't as directly related to the pipeline. "While pipeline welding (like all construction jobs)

Jake Kidd 2

is not permanent work, increased economic activity often leads to funher development including

new businesses and other construction work" (Generous). A product of the Keystone's creation

will be the hundreds of thousands of people that will have stable jobs and better livelihoods.

"From the workers manning ethylene crackers and gas-to-liquids plants to the manufacturing

jobs necessary to make and maintain them, these facilities along the supply chain will yield

thousands of jobs. Furthermore, cheaper energy and a wider network of pipelines means

entrepreneurs and heavy manufacturing have the option to keep jobs in the United States,

including the parts of the country recovering most slowly from the recession" (Generous). As

stated, the jobs created will be diverse and the pipeline will provide opportunities for

entrepreneurship and a chance greater economic prosperity. The Keystone XL will help the US

economy in many more ways than one can imagine.

Not only will there be a large amount of jobs created, but the pipeline wilhallow the

American energy sector to grow and farmers more railways to transport their crop. Today,

both crops and oil are transported along railroads to their destination. The new pipeline would

"carry oil from the Bakken oil fields in North Dakota to refineries along the Gulf Coast. This

would help alleviate the rail overcrowding that is preventing farmers in the Midwest from getting

their goods to market" (Thune). In fact, the new pipeline would take "800,000 barrels a day off

train tracks" (Generous). Although there will be a noticeable increase in industry as a result of

Keystone, there will also be more rail space for farmers who normally would seem somewhat

unrelated to the pipeline's construction. In addition, the pipeline is a necessarypieee r the (IS.

energy sector to grow. To understand the vital importance of the Keystone XL, one must

understand that the energy sector has three basic parts: upstream, midstream, and downstream.

The upstream is the actual extraction and collection of oil and gaêh e downstream is the final

Jake Kidd 3

refining and creation of a usable product for the consumer, while the midstream is the

infrastructure, logistics, and transportation of it all. The United States has always had a strong

downstream to manufacture the oil that we import. Recently however, large energy reserves have

been found in the northern parts of the US. "Prior to 2012, U.S. gas and oil companies focused

primarily on domestic or foreign sources of oil (upstream) and final processing and delivery to

the customer (downstream). With more natural gas reserves being discovered and harnessed in

the continental United States, a robust midstream infrastructure is now essential" (Generous).

These reserves are responsible in the drop in the price of gas seen lately and the growth of the

upstream in America. "Missing from many stories about America's energy revolution is the

industry's midstream sector. This is the chain of transportation and rough processing of raw oil

and natural gas and the link between the upstream and downstream sectors" (Generous). In order

for the energy sector to grow, the midstream has to keep up with needs of the up and

downstream. The recent rise of the American upstream provides an incentive to keep the

midstream stron . Choosing to ignore thiSRis choosing to miss out on money, jobs, economic

this)

gro

Middle-Eastern oil and to create a powerful energy sector at home.

Not everyone sees the rationality in building the Keystone XL. Opponents of the pipeline

believe that it will harm the environment mainly through emissions of carbon dioxide. "C02

contributes to climate change because of the cumulative nature of its effects" (Lieber).

Opponents justify opposing the pipeline because of these environmental concerns, but "five

separate environmental reviews by the State Department have found that the pipeline will have

no meaningful impact on the environment" (Thune). Transporting oil by pipeline is actually

more efficient and better for the environment than by rail and truck which e e now. " anada

00

Jake Kidd 4

will extract its oil regardless; the only question is whethe we antit to come here via the

pipeline, along with the thousands of jobs it will create, or whether e ant Canada to ship it

overseas via less environmentally friendly methods" (Thune). Marco Rubio, a respected Florida

senator and 2016 Presidential candidate, describes the opposition to the pipeline and the global

warming scare as a "fear campaign" (Peters). Rubio also states that although the party may try to

appeal t you y "labe g themselves 'progressives,' they take great pride in opposing economic

progress" (Peters). The fact is that many credible sources have shown its impact on the

environment will be meaningless, and so the question is do e t to believe a corrupt political

agenda against the pipeline or do e •sh to build the pipeline and with it a stronger economy.

Through examining several sources, it can be concluded that constructing the Keystone

XL pipeline would be greatly beneficial to all Americans. Its ability to create jobs and bolster the

US economy would be substantial. Think of all the people who will have a secure future for

themselves and their families. Reliable sources have shown the Keystone to have obvious

benefits and a lack of any real detriment. Logically speaking, not building this pipeline gives up

so many jobs and sokene ts for the economy. The Keystone XL pipeline is what America

needs, and it can be clearly seen that it should be approved by the government of the United

States of America.

Jake Kidd 5

Works Cited

Generous, Theodore E. "Between the Well and the Pump." Weekly Standard. 18 May 2015: 18-

20. SIRS Issues Researcher. web. 11 Feb. 2016.

Lieber, Don. "Keystone XL Pipeline Climate Catastrophe." E Magazine. Mar/Apr 2012:27.

SIRS Issues Researcher. web. 11 Feb. 2016.

Peters, Jeremy W., and Coral Davenport. "Rubio Comes Out Strong for Drilling and Fracking."

New York Times. 17 Oct. 2015: A.14. SIRS Issues Researcher. web. Il Feb. 2016.

Thune, John, and Anna Eshoo. "Approve the Keystone XL Pipeline." American Legion

Magazine. Mar. 2015: 12. SIRS Issues Researcher. Web. 09 Feb. 2016.