Keystone XL Proposed Pipeline Environmental Concerns

1. Keystone XL Proposed PipelineEnvironmental Concerns Gustavo Larramendi and Connor Hollenbeck http://media.treehugger.com/assets/images/2011/10/20110921-keystone-xl-pipeline-protest.jpg

2. Proposed XL Pipeline Route http://media.mcclatchydc.com/smedia/2011/11/04/18/57/CaTdI.La.91.jpg

3. Environmental Concerns • High permeability of the Sand Hills Region • Composition of the transported oil • Information Gap regarding affects of a spill • Municipal, industrial, and drinking water supplies are located near the proposed pipeline • Monitoring systems are not adequate to detect smaller spills

4. Sand Hills Water Table http://www.dailyyonder.com/files/imagecache/story_default/imagefield/Nebmap.gif

5. Alternate Routes • An ideal route would be one that avoids the Ogallala Aquifer altogether. • However, these alternative routes are economically inefficient and would cost up to twice the amount of the original proposed route • We think the best alternative is minor realignments of the pipeline around crucial area in the Aquifer. This will provide an economically efficient option and will help address some of the environmental concerns involving the pipeline