Sen. Barbara Boxer: The Keystone Pipeline Will Cause Cancer

Sen. Barbara Boxer wants to add a new element to the Keystone XL oil pipeline debate: its effects on health.

The California Democrat claims negative health effects from the proposed pipeline's development were ignored by the State Department's environmental impact review.

"The Environmental Impact Statement was woefully inadequate when it came to exploring human impacts of the pipeline," Boxer said Wednesday at a press conference held with Sen. Sheldon Whitehouse (D-R.I.) and anti-Keystone XL activists and environmentalists.

She said Keystone would add pollutants to the air that will increase the likelihood of people getting cancer or heart disease.

"I do believe the public health impacts are something that average people can really relate to because they know cancer is the second leading cause of death in this country — heart disease is number one — and all of this filthy air contributes to both of those," she said.

Boxer and Whitehouse will send a letter to Secretary of State John Kerry detailing the health impacts of the pipeline, which they hope he will consider when determining whether Keystone XL is in the nation's best interests.

The State Department is currently in the national determination phase of its review, which lasts for 90 days. While the department's environmental analysis said the pipeline developed by TransCanada would not significantly increase greenhouse gas emissions, Boxer claims more information is needed on the human impacts.

"As tar sands oil flows to our gulf coast refineries it will increase toxic pollution that already plagues communities like Port Arthur Texas, which is near many refineries that will process tar sands," Boxer said.

Boxer said hearings on the topic are a possibility but nothing is set in stone. Her goal is to get President Obama and Kerry's attention.

Via: Fox News

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Head Propaganda Czar Jay Carney: We “Haven’t Rejected” The Keystone Pipeline…

(CNSNews.com) – White House Spokesman Jay Carney said that the Obama administration had not “rejected” the Keystone pipeline, despite the fact that the president did, in fact, cancel the project after congressional Republicans forced him to make a decision.

“First of all, the Keystone Pipeline is a process. We haven’t rejected anything,” Carney told reporters Thursday.

Carney had been asked by ABC News’ Jake Tapper why the White House used the term ‘all-of-the-above’ to describe its energy policy when it had rejected Republican ideas like Keystone.

“It’s a process that is underway at the State Department that was delayed because – for two reasons – one because of concern by folks in Nebraska including the Republican governor about the original proposed route and then because of Congress’ [and] House Republicans’ insistence on including it as part of the payroll tax cut extension,” Carney continued.

However, the White House did reject the Keystone Pipeline in January, formally denying the application of TransCanada – the company hoping to build the pipeline – to begin work on the project. Federal permission was needed because the pipeline crossed national boundaries – running from Canada to the Gulf of Mexico.

Via: CNSNews

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20,000 Private Construction Jobs and Obama says "No"?, "Maybe"?, "Yes"?

Recently President Obama decided he was going to delay his decision to approve the XL Pipeline until after the election in 2012 much to the surprise to all the parties involved. His reasoning was the project needed additional environmental studies to determine the viability and safety of the project. After almost 3 ½ years of exhaustive review, review and more review he was still not sure if it was safe enough to build.  Let’s also note that the extensive approval process for a project of this magnitude has never happened before.

The regulatory hurdle that has blocked the approval of this much needed pipeline will not stop Canada from building the pipeline.  It would be naïve to think that Trans-Canada is sitting on their hands waiting for a decision from Obama.  They will continue with their plans to produce upwards to a million barrels of much needed oil from the Tar Sands Pipeline and instead of the United States being the beneficiary the oil will probably go to oil starved China.  The proposed pipeline would run from Alberta, Canada to Texas and pass through six states.