Tuesday, August 30, 2011

Top NASA Climatologist Opposes Tar Sand Oil Pipeline Across US

Add James Hansen to those opposing the proposed pipeline to carry tar sand oil from Canada to Texas.

Unsustainable amounts of fresh water and energy are needed to extract and ship this heavy form of oil, but it appears as if the Obama administration is going to green light it.

And these pipelines have a record of leaking and breaking, so running it over the nation's largest fresh water aquifer is really risky.


4 comments:

Dave said...

The XL Pipelind and development of the oil sands are unrelated.

The Canadians are developing the oil sands. It will happen whether or not the US purchases that oil.

From a global emissions perspective, it makes sense to use it here in the US. It would be silly for the Canadians to ship it to China while we import more from the mid-east.

James Rowen said...

How much of that oil will get shipped overseas, since you brought it up.

Anonymous said...

The pipeline seems ripe for protesting at every inch as it is constructed from Alberta down to Texas. I wonder if it will be as costly as the one we and the Russians have been trying to build in Afghanistan?

Dave said...

My understanding is that Enbridge and others are looking at a pipeline from Alberta to the Canadian west coast so that the oil can be exported overseas if not to the US.