The Ongoing Keystone Pipeline Debate
February 17, 2012, some 40,000 people gathered on the National Mall in Washington, D.C., to urge President Obama to reject the proposed 1,980-mile Keystone XL pipeline that would connect the oil sands region of Alberta, Canada to oil refineries on the U.S. Gulf Coast. The pipeline would cross the border in Montana and wend its way south to Nederland, Texas. The project requires U.S. State Department approval because it crosses an international border. Proponents say the Keystone construction would create jobs and promote U.S. energy independence. Opponents warn of the risk of oil spills that could contaminate U.S. waters along…
