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And the survey says? Oil and water do not mix
Opinion | North Platte Telegraph | September 15, 2010
Read the full article on the originating site
A few weeks ago, we published an editorial challenging the wisdom of constructing a new oil pipeline across Nebraska.
You may recall that the Gulf disaster featuring the Deepwater Horizon overshadowed an environmental disaster along the Kalamazoo River in Michigan. That pipeline leak spilled over 800,000 gallons of oil into a very sensitive river system.
We argued at the time that until there are assurances that pipelines will not leak, the support will remain tepid at best.
The Michigan leak was not created by a disaster, but, according to the Wall Street Journal, by a faulty section of pipe that was actually identified weeks before the spill. The company did not feel it was sufficiently important, evidently, to shut the pipeline down until they planned to fix the known issue.
One would think that with the current technology available, a change in pressure could automatically stop flow. However, according to the Lansing State Journal, the leak started either July 25 or July 26. How is it possible that the start of this type of catastrophe cannot even be identified accurately? Can anybody realistically consider this acceptable?
Bold Nebraska, a leading state liberal group, issued a press release announcing the results of a poll they sponsored along with Nebraska Wildlife and the Nebraska Sierra Club. Not surprisingly, the poll indicates a strong resistance among Nebraska residents.
According to that poll 48 percent oppose the pipeline, called the Keystone XL. Based on some of the other poll results, this may mean that many Nebraskans oppose the pipeline without more assurances. There is no doubt that Nebraskans are concerned and are holding elected officials accountable.
Not to be outdone, however, TransCanada released a poll that, no surprise here, indicated the opposite. According to that survey, 69 percent of Nebraskans want it built. We can also suppose there is a qualifier in this response. We suspect that those affirming the project assume the company will be responsible and that a leak, and potential damage to the Ogallala Aquifer will not happen.
Our conservative friends are ready to perform an intervention. However, good business requires values that match consumers values and all energy users, while willing to accept and understand risk, are not yet ready to trust the companies involved.
There cannot be an excuse for this type of environmental nightmare. The fact is the earth may heal. But companies that do not accept social responsibility cast great shadows over all businesses and fall easy prey to those who hold free market ideals in contempt.
This issue may not have held the attention it does if the Deepwater Horizon disaster had not happened. If not for Glen Miller, it is doubtful many people could even identify the Kalamazoo River, but the fact remains that disaster happened and it happened this year. These incidents heighten the concern for the Keystone XL Pipeline.
There isn’t a scenario in which we can support TransCanada to construct this pipeline and allow the company to beg forgiveness about a spill.
Bottom Line: No guarantee, no pipeline.
Tagged with: keystone xl, transcanada, nebraska, bold nebraska, poll
