Yesterday, TransCanada submitted a new route for its Keystone XL pipeline to the Nebraska state government. The fossil fuel trinity- TransCanada, the oil industry, and Republican politicians- feel that the EPA has had sufficient time to study the environmental impact of the pipeline and will, once again, lobby congress and the White House to approve the project.
History has shown the American people that oil companies are excellent at promoting environmental stewardship and safety, at least after they cause an environmental catastrophe. With The Keystone XL projected to run through a particularly important water supply, the Ogallala Aquifer, which provides over 30% of the nations irrigated water, and the aftermath of the Deepwater Horizon disaster still manifesting itself in mutated shellfish, the environment and people, one can’t help but wonder what contaminating the Keystone aquifer may reap. A little oversight can go a long way.
