A reality based independent journal of observation & analysis, serving the Flathead Valley & Montana since 2006. © James Conner.

9 November 2015

The Keystone XL pipeline: only temporarily dead

One of my Twitter followers reminded me that the owners of the Trans Mountain Pipeline put their expansion project on hold just before President Obama denied the Keystone XL pipeline a permit to cross the United States. I appreciate the reminder.

Somehow, I forgot to include Governor Bullock’s response to Obama’s decision. Here it is:

President Obama’s decision to deny approval of the Keystone XL Pipeline is wrong and bad for Montana. The jobs, economic benefit, and energy security the pipeline would afford Montana, especially eastern Montana, are now lost due to the dysfunction that has come to define Washington, DC.

Dysfunction does define Congress, thanks to a gleefully obstructionist Republican Party, but this was one time that Washington did function. Bullock just doesn’t like the decision. Moreover, he can’t afford to get crosswise with the unions — no Democrat running for statewide office can — so his statement is not unexpected. That’s why I’m cutting him, and Sen. Tester, some slack on this. But not much slack.

There is no connection between the Keystone XL and the trains of oil that travel from the Bakken across Montana and on to the refineries at Anacortes, WA. Whether or not the Keystone XL ever gets built, Bakken oil bound for Anacortes will travel by rail as long as there’s no pipeline to ship it there.

Finally, the Keystone XL is only temporarily dead, not forever dead. When the price of oil rises again, and it will, and oil friendly governments are installed in the USA and Canada, the Keystone XL will rise from the grave and need killing all over again.