Keystone Pipeline: Pros and Cons - Essay Example

As many hopes have already been built on it, this $7 billion energy infrastructure project is expected to have a wide spread and a tremendous effect on the population both ways if it is approved by the government. As the protestors and activists tried to force the government to take an action against this controversial project, the Canadian government was making continuous attempts to pursue the American legislators to move frontward with the Keystone XL pipeline project. However, on January 18, 2012 President Obama made the permit for this project redundant and on the same date, TransCanada made a proclamation to reapply for the presidential consent to the U.S. Department of State.

A number of arguments for and against the business of this pipeline have been bought under consideration of the decision makers. The Keystone pipeline will be designed to carry one of the world’s dirtiest and highly contaminant fuel, tar sands oil. The amount of pollution that evolves during the refining process of tar sands oil is nearly three times as much as that produced during the refinement of normal oil. Since the procedure involves more sophisticated energy-intensive extraction and refining techniques, huge amounts of carbon dioxide and other atmosphere injuring gases are expected to be released into the environment on a daily basis.

These green house emissions would result in global warming and other related risks. Not only air pollution but also the waters, nearby lands and wildlife will be largely affected by the installation of this pipeline. The process also requires huge amounts of water each day for the separation of extorted products, which are also polluted and dumped in tailing ponds after they have been consumed. These tailing ponds consist of extremely toxic substances that slowly make their way to nearby clean waters.

However, the argument put