Canadian PM eyes China after US pipeline delay

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**Frazzled**

Smooth move there, pushing the decision off until after the election.

http://www.breitbart.com/article.php?id=CNG.93c1b5af9b6cb71a17bf389563809eb2.671&show_article=1

Canadian PM eyes China after US pipeline delay
Nov 13 06:28 PM US/Eastern
Canadian Prime Minister Stephen Harper said Sunday that he was looking at exporting more oil to China after the United States delayed a decision on a controversial pipeline.
President Barack Obama's administration last week put off a decision on Keystone XL project after a major protest campaign by environmentalists, who say the pipeline would be prone to accidents and worsen climate change.

The conservative Canadian leader, taking part in a summit in Hawaii hosted by Obama said the pipeline decision had produced "extremely negative reactions" and that he discussed oil exports with Chinese President Hu Jintao.

"This does underscore the necessity of Canada making sure that we are able to access Asian markets for our energy products," Harper told reporters. "I indicated that yesterday (Saturday) to President Hu of China."

The Harper government has pressed Obama to approve the 1,700-mile (2,700-kilometer) pipeline extension, which would stretch through Montana, South Dakota, Nebraska, Kansas and Oklahoma before ending up in Texas.

Canada, the pipeline's lead company TransCanada, and Obama's Republican opponents say the $7 billion project would provide the United States with a stable source of energy from an ally and create thousands of jobs.

"I remain optimistic that the project will eventually go ahead because it makes eminent sense," Harper said.

"This project is obviously what's in the best interest not just of the Canadian economy but also of the American economy," he said.

But environmentalists say an accident would be disastrous for aquifers in the US Great Plains and point to spills on an existing Keystone pipeline. The oil comes from tar sands, meaning it produces high levels of carbon emissions blamed for global warming.

The Obama administration, in ordering further study, cited particular concern about the pipeline's planned route through the Sand Hills area of Nebraska, which has a sensitive ecosystem and shallow groundwater.

The State Department delayed a final decision until 2013, after next year's presidential election.

**Melissia**

The Obama administration, in ordering further study, cited particular concern about the pipeline's planned route through the Sand Hills area of Nebraska, which has a sensitive ecosystem and shallow groundwater.

I actually rather understand that. The shallow groundwater part I mean-- if an accident happens you really want to minimize damage, and that means either avoiding shallow groundwater or adding extra protection against spills in those areas. If groundwater gets poisoned, so does anyone who uses any form of well, which means lots of people would suffer.

**AustonT**

IIRC the Administration actually said the decision would be put off until after the election. Which is a delay of sorts but pipelines don't build themselves and one year in a say 5-10 year project isn't that bad

**Jihadin**

I saw this on the news. There is a planned route and there is a route already in use. The one in use needs a connecting pipeline coming down from Canada. I do the one that create more jobs hence I go with the existing route in use and build the connecting pipeline. By menas of creatong more jobs is.

1. Workers to build the pipeline connecting.
2. Monitor Stations
3. More maintenance hired to sustain the pipeline since its longer then the one proposed

**Frazzled**

Melissia wrote:
The Obama administration, in ordering further study, cited particular concern about the pipeline's planned route through the Sand Hills area of Nebraska, which has a sensitive ecosystem and shallow groundwater.
I actually rather understand that. The shallow groundwater part I mean-- if an accident happens you really want to minimize damage, and that means either avoiding shallow groundwater or adding extra protection against spills in those areas. If groundwater gets poisoned, so does anyone who uses any form of well, which means lots of people would suffer.

There's already a pipeline there. Why delay...until after the election?

Automatically Appended Next Post:

AustonT wrote:IIRC the Administration actually said the decision would be put off until after the election. Which is a delay of sorts but pipelines don't build themselves and one year in a say 5-10 year project isn't that bad

Well uif the other gets approved then yea, its bad. There won't be a project.

**Melissia**

Because during an election people rae motivated to politically grandstand for the sake of having political points, rather than doing what's actually right for the country.