Keystone XL-- A land grab?

brianluxbrianlux Moving through All Kinds of Terrain. Posts: 42,429
edited February 2012 in A Moving Train
Yet another reason to oppose Keystone XL. Here's how Bill McKibben describes it:'

“Transcanada's decision to build its pipe from Oklahoma to Texas is a nifty excuse to steal some land by eminent domain. It doesn't increase tar sands mining because there's still no pipe across the Canadian border, but it's the usual ugly power grab and land grab by the fossil fuel industry -- we'll do what we can to stand by our allies in that arid and beautiful land.”

Here's the article (and, no, 350.org is not a "liberal blog". It's a hardworking group of diverse people from around the world working hard to save what's left of this creaky boat. In fact, I would call us conservative because conservation a major goal):

http://www.350.org/en/about/blogs/new-c ... eystone-xl
"Pretty cookies, heart squares all around, yeah!"
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"Try to not spook the horse."
-Neil Young













Post edited by Unknown User on

Comments

  • StillHereStillHere Posts: 7,795
    edited February 2012
    no approval needed (you already know that i'm sure)

    hope your house isn't along the way (i know it isn't ... just sayin')

    when is this government going to be "for the people by the people" ??

    my guess....never

    i was just getting so excited the other day about a new hockey arena being built in Allentown, the closest major city to us (other than Philly). Not because I like hockey, which I don't, the peace-loving person that I am I don't care to see a bunch of guys smash each other in the face all night...beside the point... but because I am thinking we will lure PJ here someday :)

    UNTIL....i read about how many homes were taken through eminent domain in order to have the project go ahead as planned

    Back to the OIL ...the whole oil thing..so discouraging cuz it seems we just can't win..too much money, too much power
    what's a person to do?
    we don't want off-shore drilling, new pipelines, etc., and then again, we don't want the old leaky ones either....and the industry is not going to back down, and politicians (elected by you and me to do OUR bidding) way more often than not, follow the money, right?
    we (as a population) need it cuz fossil fuel-less technology is not affordable for you and me....at least not yet...and not in a practical way. we're getting there...but not quite. we COULD ...but we aren't
    most people, in my opinion, are too lazy, to uninformed, or plain just don't care, for any en masse opposition.
    the few are loud..but we are the few, nonetheless
    Post edited by StillHere on
    peace,
    jo

    http://www.Etsy.com/Shop/SimpleEarthCreations
    "How I choose to feel is how I am." ~ EV/MMc
    "Some people hear their own inner voices with great clearness and they live by what they hear. Such people become crazy, or they become legends." ~ One Stab ~
  • brianluxbrianlux Moving through All Kinds of Terrain. Posts: 42,429
    StillHere wrote:
    no approval needed

    hope your house isn't along the way (i know it isn't ... just sayin')

    when is this government going to be "for the people by the people" ??

    my guess....never

    Sad, huh?

    Time for a little PJ music to sooth the soul.
    "Pretty cookies, heart squares all around, yeah!"
    -Eddie Vedder, "Smile"

    "Try to not spook the horse."
    -Neil Young













  • Jason PJason P Posts: 19,156
    According to Trans-Canada's website, there is a line that crosses the Canadian border in Manitoba, just south of Winnipeg. It was completed in 2010 and transports oil to Steel City, KA. A line from Steel City to Cushing, OK was completed one year ago. I don't know what type of oil runs through these pipelines, but tar sands could make it to Texas based on the logistics. Check out the map:

    http://www.transcanada.com/keystone_pipeline_map.html

    As for the "new jobs", I don't recall hearing anyone talking about a job market boom during the first several phases of the Keystone project which pretty much flew under the radar.

    As for the "land grab", this is spin to grab public support for those that oppose the project. It's common among all infrastructure projects (i.e. a high-speed rail proposal) and it's not like this pipeline is being built on the Eastern seaboard. It's wide open hi-low country.
    Be Excellent To Each Other
    Party On, Dudes!
  • brianluxbrianlux Moving through All Kinds of Terrain. Posts: 42,429
    Jason P wrote:
    According to Trans-Canada's website, there is a line that crosses the Canadian border in Manitoba, just south of Winnipeg. It was completed in 2010 and transports oil to Steel City, KA. A line from Steel City to Cushing, OK was completed one year ago. I don't know what type of oil runs through these pipelines, but tar sands could make it to Texas based on the logistics. Check out the map:

    http://www.transcanada.com/keystone_pipeline_map.html

    As for the "new jobs", I don't recall hearing anyone talking about a job market boom during the first several phases of the Keystone project which pretty much flew under the radar.

    As for the "land grab", this is spin to grab public support for those that oppose the project. It's common among all infrastructure projects (i.e. a high-speed rail proposal) and it's not like this pipeline is being built on the Eastern seaboard. It's wide open hi-low country.

    The land grab issue is real and it is just one more of many reasons this is a bad idea.

    We've already, over and over, discussed the fallacy of the "this will create more jobs" argument.
    "Pretty cookies, heart squares all around, yeah!"
    -Eddie Vedder, "Smile"

    "Try to not spook the horse."
    -Neil Young













  • the first leg of the pipeline rolled through my town they paid people for the land that wasnt in an easement or right away already owned property by energy companies... alot of it was being built right alongside powerlines...

    now what I heard in canada was different... they never paid people for their property for the tar sands...which is a different entity but still the same
  • StillHereStillHere Posts: 7,795
    the first leg of the pipeline rolled through my town they paid people for the land that wasnt in an easement or right away already owned property by energy companies... alot of it was being built right alongside powerlines...

    now what I heard in canada was different... they never paid people for their property for the tar sands...which is a different entity but still the same

    Some people I "sort of know" have dealt with eminent domain **purchases** in the past. The way I understand it, the government will offer you what they consider to be fair value for the property. You may or may not agree to that price. In the end, if you can't see eye to eye, its theirs anyway..they take it..you lose.

    I could be way wrong..this was a while back...just the same, it ALL Sux
    peace,
    jo

    http://www.Etsy.com/Shop/SimpleEarthCreations
    "How I choose to feel is how I am." ~ EV/MMc
    "Some people hear their own inner voices with great clearness and they live by what they hear. Such people become crazy, or they become legends." ~ One Stab ~
  • StillHere wrote:
    the first leg of the pipeline rolled through my town they paid people for the land that wasnt in an easement or right away already owned property by energy companies... alot of it was being built right alongside powerlines...

    now what I heard in canada was different... they never paid people for their property for the tar sands...which is a different entity but still the same

    Some people I "sort of know" have dealt with eminent domain **purchases** in the past. The way I understand it, the government will offer you what they consider to be fair value for the property. You may or may not agree to that price. In the end, if you can't see eye to eye, its theirs anyway..they take it..you lose.

    I could be way wrong..this was a while back...just the same, it ALL Sux

    Also,
    typically "fair values" star FALLING when the public becomes aware of plans, and adjusts their perception of value accordingly, which often ends up fucking over landowners.

    For instance, say you have a home worth $300,000 in a nice quiet neighborhood with relatively few through streets or non-local traffic around.

    Then say the local government decides it wants to run a beltway or highway extension right through your lot ... not through the entire neighborhood, necessarily ... say your house and like 5 or 6 other homes on the "back side" of the neighborhood will be affected, but some 50 or 60 homes will still be there.

    What do you think happens to the PERCEIVED (which then become REAL) value of your nice, quiet, secluded, $300,000 home when word gets out that a Freeway Overpass or Beltloop Extension is going to run right down the backside of the neighborhood ... repleat with a noise wall, billboards, probable rezoning, etc?

    :( :( :(
    If I was to smile and I held out my hand
    If I opened it now would you not understand?
  • pandorapandora Posts: 21,855
    Yes eminent domain...
    don't fight it, be the first to sell for the best dollar, that's what we did.
    There is no fighting it, your property will be condemned if you do not sell.

    We, along with 93 other small businesses lost out to MARTA
    after Clinton and his hot shots came a snoopin south buying up real estate.
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