The review process has been marred by allegations of conflicts of interest, from cosy relationships between state officials and lobbyists for TransCanada (the company behind the pipeline) to the outsourcing of the review to a contractor that lists TransCanada as a major client, and that was recommended by TransCanada itself. So it's a little encouraging to hear the president suggest he'll look at the issues himself and not just rubber stamp his State Department's recommendation.
Note, I say it's a little encouraging - not a lot. Obama's record so far on environmental issues is not promising. In his first year in office, a cap-and-trade bill passed the House, while a bipartisan group of senators developed a similar bill, which the White House all but directly sabotaged, apparently unwilling to make climate change a priority. That's why as I write this, protesters are surrounding the White House to demand that the pipeline not be built (the president, however, isn't at home; he's golfing).
Judging by what Obama said last week, climate change still isn't a priority: He intends to weigh the project's potential economic benefits against "what's best for the health of the American people." He's worried about oil contaminating aquifers or damaging agricultural land. But the dangers inherent in this project run far deeper and are far more profound. Read the full report here.
Source: by Mat Sloughter, The Daily Gamecock.
