Keystone XL: An Objective View

It seems an eternity since we first learned of Keystone XL, the pipeline to bring tar-sands oil from the Canadian province of Alberta. At times, it sounds like people think this is a proposed pipeline. There are parts that are in the proposal stage, but there is nearly a 1000 miles of pipeline finished, including a completed branch that goes to southern Illinois.

All was going well until the pipeline made its way to Arkansas—that's when environmentalist made their stand. The details of why are boring, but it was something about the type of soil and that a spill from tar-sands oil would be environmentally worse than other oils. An alternative route was eventually found through the state. Obama brought in the EPA to look into the pipeline. This is where it now stands – the EPA and president refuse to give the go ahead.