by Laura Tomah
Yeardisc editor
It seems some things never change, like political figures constantly making waves with social networking sites.
No, don’t get too excited. This is not another Wiener incident.
This time it involves Oklahoma’s governor and her support for the Keystone XL Pipeline, which she has repeatedly expressed on social networking sites like Facebook and Twitter.
President Barrack Obama felt a delay of the pipeline was necessary for all the proper precautions to be taken and denied the presidential permit on Jan. 19.
The Keystone XL Pipeline was originally going to take crude oil from Alberta, Canada to various locations in the United States, including Oklahoma’s very own Cushing Oil Distribution, all the way down along the Gulf Coast of Texas.
In addition to boasting her support continually on social networking sites, Gov. Mary Fallin also sent a letter to Obama on Feb. 21, 2011 urging him to approve the pipeline, according to the Oklahoma Republication Party website.
In the letter Fallin said, “The pipeline represents an enormous and undeniable opportunity for job creation and economic stimulus at a time when the nation is sorely in need of both. The creation of the pipeline will also help to ensure our nation’s future energy needs are met with resources from politically stable regions of the world right here in North America…
“Yet despite the obvious benefits of moving forward, some environmentalists seem bent on denying or even preventing the construction of this pipeline…
“I enthusiastically recommend that your administration reconsider and embrace the considerable potential for economic stimulus represented by this project and approve it immediately.”
While I understand that there are financial benefits to the Keystone XL Pipeline, have the risk factors truly been looked at by our political leaders, including our governor?
Do these politicians not remember the BP oil spill that took place not all that long ago? Does Fallin really understand that this will be running though her very own state?
By offering her support of this pipeline without fully investigating the risks to her constituents, Fallin is not doing her job properly. In Oklahoma we have an aquifer that runs under our state, and putting an oil pipeline under our state could potentially jeopardize our water source if we do not properly investigate the risks.
NPR reported on Jan. 12 that the little pipeline that Fallin is in complete support of is a mere 1,700 miles and will bring Alberta’s tar sands all the way down to Gulf Coast refineries.
I am not saying a pipeline couldn’t work for the U.S., but is there a reason we have to transport it quite that far? Could we not use a refinery that is a little closer to Alberta? For that matter, I would be in support of building one if our oil use is that big of a problem.
If we used a refinery closer to the Canadian border, it would still supply the jobs she is pushing for without the extended pipeline risking pollution while it travels almost 2,000 miles.
Russ Girling, President and CEO of TransCanada the Calgary-based Corporation stated that they will be fully committed to making this pipeline happen and they will release a new pipeline route in September or October. Obama announced at this time according to the Canada website that the decision will be put off until 2013.
According to the Canada website, Canada.gc.ca, this new plan will avoid areas in Nebraska that are more environmentally sensitive. Girling, has faith that a new permit can be approved by late 2014.
“The rushed and arbitrary deadline insisted on by Congressional Republicans prevented a full assessment of the pipeline’s impact, especially the health and safety of the American people, as well as our environment,” Obama said according to the Canada website. “This announcement is not a judgment on the merits of the pipeline, but the arbitrary nature of a deadline that prevented the State Department from gathering the information necessary to approve the project and protect the American people.”
Fallin was less than enthusiastic about Obama’s decision. According to newson6.com, Fallin said “The decision by the president to block construction of this pipeline is more evidence this administration is beholden to radical environmentalists and does not care about real job creation or the plight of tens of millions of unemployed Americans.
“I am outraged by President Obama’s obstructionism, poor judgment and lack of regard for a project that would help secure America’s energy independence, boost our economy and create hundreds of thousands of jobs.”
However, Fallin does not stand alone in her support. Our neighbor to the south is also in strong support of a pipeline that could potentially harm our environment. According to www.gardian.co.uk on Feb. 16, Rick Perry, the governor of Texas, stated “Obama wants us to believe he is for jobs, economic opportunity and greater energy security, and his Keystone decision does help meet those goals—for the People’s Republic of China. The American people get nothing.”
As a concerned citizen of Oklahoma and the United States I recommend other students realize that this pipeline really could affect our future. What if we are the victims of the next major oil spill?
I also recommend following Fallin and other political figures on social networking sites because if there is anything we learned from last year in politics, it that we often learn interesting facts about our elected officials on these sites.