A Different Kind of Wednesday Guest

The other day I received this press release from  Jane Kleeb, who writes for BOLD Nebraska
Because I believe strongly that this pipeline is bad for America on many levels, I decided to post the release.


ICYMI: Ex-worker says TransCanada ignored problems with Wyoming pipeline 

TransCanada continues to use the talking point that the Keystone XL tar sands pipeline will be the “safest pipeline ever,” but their credibility and safety record continue to come into question. In just its first year of operation, Keystone leaked fourteen times, a hundred times more leaks that TransCanada predicted. Federal pipeline safety officials have shut down the pipeline because of mechanical issues, and a former employee reported that systematic shortcuts were taken in the construction of Keystone I which compromised its safety.

And now, a worker on TransCanada’s Bison natural gas pipeline is reporting similar issues.

From the Associated Press:

A former TransCanada engineer claims the company knew that its Bison natural gas pipeline in Wyoming had faults before it ruptured last year but ignored the problems in the rush to bring it online.

He told the newspaper that he saw problems with pipe alignment welding, excavation and backfilling. He said rocks were left in the pipeline’s ditch and they could have caused dents in the line.

A 60-foot section of the pipeline exploded on July 20, 2011, 20 miles northwest of Gillette, shaking the ground and spewing a brown cloud into the sky. The gas didn’t ignite. The pipeline, which runs across southeastern Montana into North Dakota, began operating in January 2011.

The U.S. Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration is still investigating the rupture. The company will also soon be audited by Canadian regulators.

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For more facts about the pipeline, here is a list of resources compiled by BOLD Nebraska:

Dr. Stansbury, from UNL, report on worst case spills: http://www.boldnebraska.org/transcanada_worstcase 

Oil Not Destined for United States report: http://priceofoil.org/wp-content/uploads/2011/08/OCIKeystoneXLExport-Fin.pdf

UNL Dept. Ag Economics paper on the pipeline: http://tinyurl.com/unlpipeline
Bold Nebraska resource page: http://www.boldnebraska.org/pipeline-background-resources

Sierra Club profile of individuals affected by pipeline: http://tinyurl.com/sierrareport

Joint report on pipeline safety: http://tinyurl.com/pipelinesafety

TransCanada uses faulty steel report: http://plainsjustice.org/files/SubstandardSteelReport.pdf