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Originally Posted by Red Ice Player
Democrats are catering to their loud influential celebrity environmentalist supporters, who promote their belief that the 'Tarsands" are an evil abomination.
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It is very difficult to sell the tarsands to anyone with any sense of aesthic or likes the way the earth looks today. You know lots of blues, greens, and whites. Certainly not the way the earth looked 5 billion years ago unless you're bacteria. The open pit mines are a gawd awful looking place that's straight out of Dante's inferno.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Red Ice Player
Now, after how many reviews, debates and extensions, suddenly it is SUCH a big problem that the State Department is delaying the decision for 18 months because a few farmers in Nebraska have concerns? This is 100% a political issue. Has nothing to do with a few farmers.
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Of course it is political but the delay is as much and if not more a result of good old local interests and NIMBYism than the conservation movement's influence. Governor wrote a letter to the administration asking for a delay and received it.
Per the NYTimes on 11/10:
Public officials and citizens in Nebraska have been vocal about the proposed pipeline route, not only because of fears about the Sand Hills region but because it will cross the Ogallala Aquifer, a critical source of drinking water for the Great Plains. Gov. Dave Heineman of Nebraska, a Republican, has been pushing for the pipeline to be rerouted and recently called a special legislative session to focus on Keystone XL.
“I am pleased that Nebraskans have been heard,” Mr. Heineman said in a telephone interview. “We’ve tried to make it very clear that we support the pipeline but oppose the route over the Ogallala Aquifer,” Mr. Heineman said, adding he was not expecting the State Department’s decision. “I hope we can find a common-sense solution, change the route and begin construction of the pipeline.”
It doesn't hurt punting it to a governance/national security issue past '12 rather regardless of who wins than an unnessarily political one which could result in good politics/bad policy.
Lastly, conservationists and the far left are Obama's hostages. They haven't been enthusiastic about his presidency since he continued Bush's decision on drilling in the Gulf weeks before the BP oil spill. Obama's left flank is pretty secure just because there is no alternative.
In other words, he is hardly swayed by what Brad Pitt or Barbara Streisand have to say...loves their money and attention during fund raising but their effect on public policy, not so much.