Read RDC's Comments

Comment deadline was March 7, 2014

Overview:
The U.S. Department of State is in the process of determining whether TransCanada’s proposed Keystone XL Pipeline (KXL) is in the national interest. The pipeline would run from the Canadian border to connect to a pipeline in Steele City, Nebraska. The Department’s determination involves consideration of many factors, including energy security, health, environmental, cultural, economic, and foreign policy concerns.

Action Requested:
The public comment period on the national interest determination will close on Friday, March 7th. RDC encourages its members to send brief comments urging the Department of State to expeditiously approve KXL. There are two ways to submit comments. The public is encouraged to submit comments to regulations.gov. Comments may also be mailed directly to:

U.S. Department of State
Bureau of Energy Resources, Room 4843
Attn: Keystone XL Public Comments
2201 C Street, NW
Washington, DC 20520

For those who prefer to send in a prepared letter to the federal agency (which you can edit), please click on the following link:

http://buildkxlnow.org/take-action/sign-up/

Points to consider in your comments:

• By supporting domestic production and oil imports from our close ally Canada instead of politically unstable countries, we will strengthen both our national and energy security.
• The 800-mile Trans-Alaska Pipeline is positive proof that a project the magnitude of KXL can be built and operated safely, putting tens of thousands of people to work and strengthening the economy.
• The Keystone XL Pipeline will have minimal impact on the environment. Studies have found KXL will be less invasive than if oil was transported by rail car or barge. The pipeline’s pumping stations are powered by electric motors which have little direct emissions.
• The U.S. Department of State found the KXL project would not cause “substantial impact on the rate of development in the oil sands, or on the amount of heavy crude oil refined in the Gulf coast area,” meaning the project would not have a direct effect on the greenhouse gas emissions from the production and consumption of oil.
• TransCanada has agreed to an additional 57 safety requirements and has routed the pipeline to avoid any potential environmentally-sensitive areas. In the U.S., over 170,000 miles of liquid pipelines transport 11.3 billion barrels of petroleum each year. American pipelines maintain the lowest spill rate per volume than any other transported method available.
• KXL will provide U.S. refineries with upwards of 830,000 barrels of crude each day, decreasing overseas imports by 43 percent and increasing the overall supply of oil.
• This stable long-term supply of energy from Canada would make the U.S. more energy self sufficient and help mitigate supply disruptions, which ultimately means greater price stability for American consumers.
• KXL is expected to create 42,000 manufacturing and construction jobs in the U.S., as well as provide billions of dollars in property tax revenue to Montana, North Dakota, South Dakota, Nebraska, Kansas, Oklahoma, and Texas. The project will add $3.4 billion to the U.S. economy, including over $2 billion in salaries.
• KXL will transport more than 830,000 barrels of oil per day from domestic and Canadian sources, resolving infrastructure constraints for Bakken oil in North Dakota.

Comment deadline was March 7, 2014