Regulated use of gas resources to boost economy

Michael James Barton :
Yet again, some obstinate U.S. senators have undermined America’s energy renaissance. The Senate just forfeited thousands of new American jobs by denying permission to the private sector to build Keystone XL, which could connect Canadian oil sources to American refineries.
This has caused gratuitous harm to our struggling economy, which already hangs on the brink of recession. Full construction of Keystone would strengthen America’s economy, further key geopolitical goals and – despite the unhinged handwringing from green extremists – significantly benefit the environment. The Senate needs to stand up to these unreasonable Luddites and approve the pipeline once and for all.
Keystone would increase our Canadian energy imports dramatically, up to an estimated 830,000 barrels a day. That uptick would spur employment growth throughout the pipeline’s path.
Indeed, according to a recent State Department report, the construction phase of Keystone alone would create 42,000 new jobs. And the indirect ripple effects of the pipeline would generate another 100,000 positions in support industries like food and transportation.
Equally important, building Keystone would spur expansion of U.S. natural gas production. That additional production capacity would further some major foreign policy objectives, particularly those concerning Russia.
Our excess natural gas can be shipped to our European allies, who can then wean themselves off Russian imports and deprive the Kremlin of one of its favorite diplomatic daggers.
Now, the pretense for blocking Keystone XL’s approval is a concern for its environmental impacts. Critics argue that increasing the volume of crude oil shipments flowing into the United States is counterproductive to the Obama administration’s sworn goal of cutting down on carbon emissions.
The problem with this logic is that the Canadian energy deposits are going to be developed regardless of whether Keystone is built. In the absence of a regulated pipeline, oil and natural gas will instead get shipped via heavy trains and trucks, which are significantly more polluting.
Indeed, as a January report from the State Department points out, Keystone delays “have led to growing volumes of crude [being] shipped by rail.”
And this method of transport is much more emissions-heavy than a pipeline. It’s also more dangerous. Forty-seven people were recently killed after a train carrying crude derailed in Lac-Megantic, Canada.
Meanwhile, claims that the pipeline itself would dramatically increase emissions are baseless.
That same State Department analysis concluded that Keystone construction would have a negligible impact on carbon emissions.
And by expanding our natural gas production, Keystone could actually help lower emissions over the long run.
The pipeline needs to be rescued from nonsensical drama, and permitting should be approved now that over four years of studies and analysis support its creation.
We are Americans. We used to build things in this country. We can do so again if the Senate approves the permit for Keystone and allows us to make it happen.
(Michael James Barton is the director for energy at Artis Research, and speaks around the country on energy and energy security matters. He previously served as deputy director of Middle East policy at the Pentagon.)