[All] Keystone XL EA : Public feedback needed

[Louisette Lanteigne]

Hi folks

The Keystone XL Environmental Assessment report was released with a 45 day public feedback process. 
http://www.state.gov/r/pa/prs/ps/2013/03/205547.htm


For the EA data etc. visit here: http://www.keystonepipeline-xl.state.gov/

Some of the key points to consider are below along with references.

The US State Department states the Keystone will not increase Tar Sands production but this conflicts with the data previously released by the Canadian Association of Petroleum Producers released in June 2012 which states the Keystone XL will result in increase production. 
http://www.capp.ca/getdoc.aspx?DocId=209546&DT=NTV

U.S. Department of Transportation's Leak Detection Study states there are up to  $5 billion in property damages due to pipeline related accidents annually. It's up to the public to find the majority of leaks and the report concludes that leak detection technology around pipelines is not modern, scientific or technical. In today’s age, that will just not fly politically.

http://oilandgas-investments.com/2012/energy-services/leak-detection-pipeline-industry/



The Natural Resource Defence Council (NRDC) states:  NRDC has completed a preliminary review of the Draft Supplemental Environmental Impact Statement and concludes that the State Department failed to account for the pipeline’s impact to water and climate.  There is now significant evidence the Keystone XL tar sands pipeline would trigger greater tar sands development leading to a sizable increase in greenhouse gas emissions equal to adding 6 million new cars on the road.  No regard for Petecoke impacts used to power operations in Alberta which bumps up the associated carbon by 13%.
http://switchboard.nrdc.org/blogs/ddroitsch/another_flawed_environmental_r.html#.UTFpyNq3fE0.twitter


It ignores the fact that even Syncrude admits the product is more corrosive. Here is a Syncrude report about the impacts of corrosion on it's own bitumen upgrading plant in Alberta. http://pubs.acs.org/doi/abs/10.1021/ef020098y

Alberta often uses deep saline aquifers to process oil sands products. http://environment.gov.ab.ca/info/library/8042.pdf. 

The Keystone XL report fails to address the fact that the Keystone is a form of bulk water transfer. Huge volumes of water are needed to dilute bitumen and when they refine it, the water is reused for refineries and possibly for fracking purposes. Seeing that the end points are the drought stricken Texas and China, it is reasonable to state the impacts of this water transfer will further add to increased production of both oil and natural gas at the endpoints refining this product but these values are not being represented in the current report. 

Currently there is a sweeping audit of TransCanada’s Canadian operations after confirming the account of a whistle blowerdocumenting repeated violations of pipeline safety regulations by the company. http://switchboard.nrdc.org/blogs/aswift/transcanadas_record_presents_a.html

During spills, booms won't work in Diluted bitumen. The product sinks and it also emits toxic vapours. Clean up costs for this product can be up to 10 times more expensive than a spill of conventional oil. http://thetyee.ca/News/2012/03/05/Diluted-Bitumen/


To have your say on this issue just email keystonecomments at state.gov

Feel free to cut and paste the above statements if you like too. 

Lulu :0)
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