The original Keystone XL Pipeline proposal would be an environmental disaster!

The Keystone XL Pipeline proposed to move tar sands oil from northern Canada to the Caribbean gulf coast would result in great risk to our fresh water supply. It would not increase the supply of fuel for the U.S. Big oil companies would sell it on the world market at several times the price of U. S. oil. They would make many billions of dollars in profit.

Tar sands oil is heavy. It sinks to the bottom of water. It would contaminate the fresh water in aquifers, and the Missouri and Mississippi rivers. The only way to remove it is to rile it to the surface so it can be skimmed. After two years of work, clean up had not been completed of a small spill in the Kalamazoo river.

A Canadian plan is to pipe the heavy tar sands oil to the Pacific coast for sale on the world market. Officials in the provincial government of Alberta object because of the risk to their water supply.

The tar sands oil is a valuable asset which will be harvested.

The best plan is to have the pipeline end just south of the U.S.-Canadian border. Refineries there, in North Dakota, would produce gasoline diesel fuel and heating oil which could be piped or shipped all over the U.S. That would increase supply, lower prices of fuel and provide jobs. Alternative forms of energy from: solar, wind, biomass etc. could be developed on a large scale.That would require many people whose jobs would be in the U.S. Alternative forms of energy from: solar, wind, biomass etc. could be developed on a large scale. That would require many people whose jobs would also be in the U.S. This would occur while we saved on fuel cost.

The solution is to refine the oil in northern U.S.

Sincerely,
Albert A. Gabel
Professor Emeritus
Ohio State University