Gateway pipeline approved...

[hypocritexposer]

TORONTO (AP) — Canada's government on Tuesday approved a controversial pipeline proposal that would bring oil to the Pacific Coast for shipment to Asia, a major step in the country's efforts to diversify its oil exports if it can overcome fierce opposition from environmental and aboriginal groups.

Approval for Enbridge's Northern Gateway project was expected as Canada needs infrastructure in place to export its growing oil sands production. The project's importance has only grown since the U.S. delayed a decision on TransCanada's Keystone XL pipeline that would take oil from Alberta to the U.S. Gulf Coast.

The northern Alberta region has the world's third largest oil reserves, with 170 billion barrels of proven reserves.

Enbridge's pipeline would transport 525,000 barrels of oil a day from Alberta's oil sands to the Pacific to deliver oil to Asia, mainly energy-hungry China. About 220 large oil tankers a year would visit the Pacific coast town of Kitimat and opponents fear pipeline leaks and a potential tanker spill on the pristine Pacific coast.

http://finance.yahoo.com/news/canada-oks-oil-pipeline-pacific-coast-211515697--finance.html

 

[Faster horses]

So what does the US (namely Harry Reid) do? Nothing.


WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The U.S. Senate Energy Committee advanced a bill on Wednesday that would force congressional approval of TransCanada's proposed Keystone XL oil pipeline project, but the measure seems unlikely to be taken up by the full Senate.

The bill, the latest effort by lawmakers to breathe life into the long-delayed pipeline from Canada to the U.S. Gulf Coast, will languish without a commitment from Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid to bring it to a vote.

The measure, from Democratic Senator Mary Landrieu of Louisiana and Republican Senators John Hoeven of North Dakota and Lisa Murkowski of Alaska, would take a decision on approving the pipeline away from the Obama administration.

Republican Senator John Barrasso of Wyoming termed Wednesday's vote "a cheerleading exercise" but still voted in favor of the bill, part of a 12-10 majority on the panel.

Another measure from Hoeven to approve the pipeline has 55 cosponsors but has not been put to a vote in the 100-member Senate. Support is just short of the level that would be needed to overcome an expected veto from President Barack Obama.

"The obstacle to getting Keystone built is not the Energy Committee, it's the Senate Majority Leader," Barrasso said of Reid, a Democrat from Nevada. "The Senate Majority Leader could have scheduled a vote at any time in the past seven weeks."

Last month, Senate Republicans blocked a bipartisan energy-efficiency bill backed by manufacturers and environmentalists, and by doing so forfeited a chance to vote on the long-delayed pipeline.

Reid at the time had offered a vote on Hoeven's Keystone bill if Republicans allowed passage of the energy bill.

TransCanada has waited more than five years a decision on the $5.4 billion project, which would carry up to 830,000 barrels per day of crude from the oil sands of northern Alberta to refiners in Texas.

 

[habnut]

Our Federal Govt has approved the plan providing the plan meets a whole bunch of regulations. That is before it can start. Then I think there will be labor problems, and demonstrations that could be our very own Bundy-style standoff. I think any pipeline would be very beneficial, but aint gonna hold my hand over my arse waiting for it to happen