Since its construction in 1977, the Trans Alaska Pipeline has transported almost 17 billion barrels of oil, and currently transports about 527,323 barrels a day. It celebrated its 40th Anniversary last year, and, even after all this time, is still facing controversy. The pipeline is highly debated as economically inclined citizens of Alaska are clashing with more environmental types. The Trans Alaska Pipeline Authorization Act, signed by President Nixon in 1973, protected the pipeline by banning all legal challenges against the construction of the pipeline. However, this law did not stop the critics of the pipeline from speaking out. There are several groups who are not in favor of the Trans Alaska Pipeline. One of these groups is the Environmentalists. …show more content…
A big part of this number is the employees themselves. TAPS employs about 2500 men and women, and, “nearly 95 percent of Alyeska employees live in Alaska and carry a deep satisfaction knowing that their work is essential to their state and communities (Barrett).” They are so passionate about their efforts that they even refer to it as ‘TAPS pride’. Not only does TAPS provide job opportunities in construction, engineering, business, health & safety, and computer science, it also provides the opportunity for a paid internship for students looking for experience. As well as offering a source of income for the citizens of Alaska, TAPS also provides a great deal of revenue for …show more content…
Ever since that day, the pipeline is constantly being changed for the better. “Egan said the tinkering with TAPS is expected to continue for years” (Nemec). The safety precautions placed on the pipeline are always top priority and Alyeska is pouring a great deal of funds into keeping the operations safe. Furthermore, the pipeline is not just a source of stability for Alaskan citizens, but also an important topic for all Americans. TAPS transports 17% of the United State’s domestic petroleum. If the pipeline were to stop, “A loss of that production would increase prices by at least 10 to 16 percent” (Balan). This is very important, as the majority of the American population is in constant need of these resources. A shift this dramatic in the economy would lead to outrage and possible changes in economic inflation. All in all, the Trans Alaska pipeline has provided for a great number of people and has not failed to let them down. It has become a staple in Alaskan culture and in the United States economy. Though critics of the pipeline may try to spread suggestions of inevitable environmental disaster, these claims have been disproven before and will be disproven again. In the words of Lisa Murkowski, “As TAPS reaches 40 good years, we look back, and appreciate the past. And we also look forward, and set our sights on at least 40
For centuries the United States has been a beacon of hope for environmentalism, and it is imperative for our country that we preserve this identity. The Arctic National Wildlife Refuge or ANWR is in the secluded northeastern corner of Alaska and could contain large reserves of oil in the Prudhoe Bay region. The question of whether or not to drill for oil has been a controversial topic in American politics for decades, though the evidence will show that drilling for oil is a mistake for this country. This is because it will devastate and destroy the fragile environment. Additionally, drilling in Prudhoe Bay will not solve our oil problems.
Last month, Metlakatla First Nation signed agreement with TransCanada Corporation on the Prince Rupert Gas Transmission project. This agreement is a great achievement. Metlakatla First Nation always has a significant interest in the Skeena estuary, and some believe that the pipeline project may harm the salmon habitat in the area. Metlakatla announces that they believe TransCanada will work diligently to ensure their way of life and environment. It shows trust and acts as an indicator of how important it is for a company to incorporate First Nation's input on environment and culture.
Canada should not allow The Enbridge Northern Gateway Pipeline to go through as it poses to many environmental and ecological risks. Pristine areas across central and northern BC, including the Great Bear Rainforest, are under threat if the Enbridge Northern Gateway Pipeline is put into service. In the end, the concerns over the BC pipeline outweigh the possible benefits the pipeline may result in. The Canadian oil and gas company Enbridge, proposed the Northern Gateway project as a solution to transport 525,000 barrels of crude oil per day.
The Time article “A High-Plains Showdown Over the Dakota Access Pipeline” by Justin Worland talks about a controversy over a 1,200-mile pipeline stretching from North Dakota to Illinois. The pipeline is called the Dakota Access Pipeline project and is being built by the Energy Transfer Partners company. Some people are outraged by the pipeline because it contributes to man-made climate change. Others are mainly outraged because the Standing Rock Sioux tribe never agreed to the construction of the pipeline. The leaders of the tribe say that “Washington never considered their concerns, as required by the federal law” (Worland).
With rising gas prices and an increasing reliance on nonrenewable resources, finding a reliable source for extracting and transporting oil has become an issue. In 2010, the Keystone Pipeline project was proposed and commissioned by TransCanada. Essentially, this is a pipeline that transports oil sands bitumen across the Canada-US border and into several different reserves in the States. An additional extension to the Keystone Pipeline, the Keystone XL Pipeline, has also been proposed. Several issues arise when considering the consequences of this new proposal, including the potential for oil spills and habitat damage.
Initial federal permits, and partnership with affected tribes, were treated as a “check the box” exercise. Nowhere was there a careful analysis of how much the Missouri River crossing threatened water quality and tribal treaty rights. Nowhere was there a thoughtful public discussion of whether a new major oil pipeline should be placed in a river providing drinking water to 17 million people. And one had to pore over hundreds of pages of technical data to learn that the original route of the pipeline crossed the river just north of Bismarck, N.D. — a capital city that is nearly 90 percent white — and was moved to Standing Rock only when regulators expressed concern over the risk of a spill to the city’s water
Because of the United States dependency on oil, having the pipeline would help fulfill its oil-hungry needs. In addition, it comes from an ally and neighbor, Canada, rather than more turbulent places like the Middle East. This will cause an increase in national security because we won’t be as dependent on OPEC if we have another way to get oil. One of the arguments that the people who want the pipeline is that it will decrease gasoline prices. However, that isn’t true.
The environmental argument is coming from a clash over the fact they are basically stripping the canadian boreal forest, the path of the pipeline extends across major aquifers, and pipelines tend to leak and destroy surrounding environments. In addition ccording to The Center for Climate and Energy Solutions State, “epartment’s draft SEIS found that oil from the Canadian oil sands is 17 percent more carbon-intensive than the average oil consumed in the United States... It is estimated that the U.S. greenhouse gas footprint would increase by 3 million to 21 million metric tons per year, or around 0.04 percent to 0.3 percent of the 2010 levels, if Keystone is built. Fortunately on November 6, 2015, President Barack Obama’s administration rejected the Keystone Pipeline XL after 7 years of dispute. As mentioned in the Wall Street Journal, Obama stated “the project would not have lowered gas prices, improved energy security or made a meaningful long-term contribution to the economy
The pace is still pretty fast but this time it shows the excitement for the pipeline. The producers want you to feel a sense of relief with this change. They want us to feel that the pipeline is the right choice like the pro-pipeline add. They also allure to the mainstream news story form reservation rags to riches by saying that the Native American that are opposing are rich. They also show several facts trying to allure to the viewer’s reasonable side, this is also seen in the con-pipeline add with the families talking to the audience.
Activists, wanting to make a change, have called for government reconsideration, health and safety issues, and discrimination on Native Americans. Thoreau believed that rebelling against the government was good as long as it slowed the “machine”. This can be seen in his essay when he states “...I say, break the law. Let your life be a counter friction to stop the machine,” (Thoreau, 946) which can be seen as controversial. However, the Keystone Pipeline activists agreed with Thoreau’s
Drilling in Alaska would not solve gasoline and oil problems. This is because in Document C it shows a study that it would only reduce US oil imports by 4%, which means it won't make that
“Benefits of Governmental Compromise Regarding the Dakota Access Pipeline” Nations all have unique governments and differences necessary for demonstrating successful leadership. Every country needs different assistance from their leadership, such as Rio requiring infrastructure or Somalia lacking political power. Some governments concern themselves with their politicians’ well-being more so than the people they lead, which creates a relevant problem in America. The United States Government can easily forget about Native American Reservations, or even ignore the people living on them. Recently, the United States Army Corps of Engineers has worked on the Dakota Access Pipeline project, which would cross over Native American ancestral lands,
Controversy Surrounding the Keystone XL Pipeline To build or not to build, this choice will impact the relationship between the US and Canada and determine the level of dependence the US will have on countries that are not so friendly. “TransCanada’s proposed Keystone XL Pipeline would transport oil sands crude from Canada and shale oil produced in North Dakota and Montana to a market hub in Nebraska for delivery to Gulf Coast refineries. The pipeline would consist of 875 miles of 36-inch pipe with the capacity to transport 830,000 barrels per day” (Parfomak, Pirog, Luther and Vann 4). The construction of the Keystone XL Pipeline would strengthen the United States economy, provide energy security and have minimal environmental impact. “The Keystone XL project would create $1.1 trillion in private capital investment at no
There was the discussion of the Devil’s canyon dam, which the Bureau of Reclamation intended to build and then there was Rampart Dam the project of the Corps of Engineers. Both dams made no sense to build and it would only cause more problems for the place. There was an idea behind why the Rampart dam should be built and it was so Alaska can turn into an industrial subcontinent. The problem with the rampart dam was that it would’ve caused an ecological disaster such as flood the Yukon Flats. At the end, the Rampart Dam did come close to be built, but Floyd Dominy put an end to the project.
Thankfully, the protesters achieved success and the president vetoed the building of the pipeline. All of these influential people have fought ridiculously hard for their rights; however, they fought a bloodless revolution with wise, nonviolent actions instead of using ruthless violence. Ultimately, there are many past leaders in history that