Keystone Xl Pipeline

The proposed Keystone XL pipeline has received considerable attention recently. If constructed, the pipeline would transport crude oil (eg: synthetic crude oil or diluted bitumen) derived from oil sands resources in Alberta, Canada to destinations in the United States and ultimately the international market. Policymakers continue to debate various issues associated with the proposed pipeline. Although some groups have opposed previous oil pipelines -- Alberta Clipper and the Keystone mainline, both of which are operating -- opposition to the Keystone XL proposal has generated substantially more interest among environmental stakeholders. This book discusses the background and the environmental issues the Keystone XL pipeline would cause.

The Keystone XL pipeline was most controversial North American energy infrastructure project of our time, and its history and demise serve as a cautionary tale for Canada, a country that will remain mired in regulatory dysfunction until it finds common ground between economic value and credible carbon policy.

Explores the political, social, economic, and ecological issues that underlie the Keystone XL pipeline project, an endeavor that would release enough carbon into the atmosphere to drastically hasten climate change.

TransCanada (a Canadian company) applied to the U.S. Department of State for a permit to cross the U.S.-Canada International border with the Keystone XL pipeline project in 2008. If constructed, the pipeline would carry crude oil produced from the oil sands regions of Alberta, Canada, to U.S. Gulf Coast refineries. Because the pipeline would connect the United States with a foreign country, it requires a Presidential Permit issued by the State Department. Issuance of a Presidential Permit requires a finding that the project would serve the "national interest." This book describes the Keystone XL pipeline proposal and the process required for federal approval. It summarises key arguments for and against the pipeline put forth by the pipeline's developers, federal agencies, environmental groups, and other stakeholders. Also discussed is the constitutional basis for the State Department's authority to issue a Presidential Permit, and opponents' possible challenges to this authority.

TransCanada (a Canadian company) applied to the U.S. Department of State for a permit to cross the U.S.-Canada International border with the Keystone XL pipeline project in 2008. If constructed, the pipeline would carry crude oil produced from the oil sands regions of Alberta, Canada, to U.S. Gulf Coast refineries. Because the pipeline would connect the United States with a foreign country, it requires a Presidential Permit issued by the State Department. Issuance of a Presidential Permit requires a finding that the project would serve the "national interest." This book describes the Keystone XL pipeline proposal and the process required for federal approval. It summarises key arguments for and against the pipeline put forth by the pipeline's developers, federal agencies, environmental groups, and other stakeholders. Also discussed is the constitutional basis for the State Department's authority to issue a Presidential Permit, and opponents' possible challenges to this authority.

If constructed, the Keystone XL pipeline would transport crude oil derived from oil sands sites in Alberta, Canada, to U.S. refineries and other destinations. Because the pipeline would cross an international border, it requires a Presidential Permit.

This report describes the Keystone XL pipeline proposal and the process required for federal approval. It summarizes key arguments for and against the pipeline put forth by the pipeline's developers, federal agencies, environmental groups, and other stakeholders. The report discusses potential consistency challenges faced by the State Department in reviewing the pipeline application given its recent prior approvals of similar pipeline projects. Finally, the report reviews the constitutional basis for the State Department's authority to issue a Presidential Permit, and opponents' possible challenges to this authority.