Not Even Half?

Water, water, everywhere and not a drop to drink... I don't recall where I heard that quote before, but it might apply to today's blog. A recent poll states that in Nebraska, 48% of people polled, not even half, oppose the Keystone XL Pipeline, 19% support it and 33 percent are undecided. http://www.khastv.com/news/local/Nebrask...

The Keystone project is planned to bring Canadian crude oil to Texas. Now I have not done nearly enough research on this project to comment very intelligently except to say that this is a disaster waiting to happen. Even the most jaded supporter would have a hard time defending this project.

The reason for the pipeline is the never ending need for oil in this country. Here's the problem... the planned pipeline goes smack dab through what many consider Nebraska's greatest resource, the Ogallala Aquifer. Now what happens when the pipeline fails and dumps who knows how much crude into that most precious of our resources?

Not gonna happen you say? "HA" I say! Pipeline failures are common. I heard on the news the other night that there is at least one pipeline failure in this country every day, so it's pretty obvious it's not a matter of if, it's just a matter of when. Google pipeline failures for a whiff of the problem.

The natural gas pipeline in California that recently exploded is just the most recent reminder of what can happen. Several deaths and destroyed homes thanks to a public utility and poor maintenance. Want more? Go to Alaska where our BP oil buddies had to shut down the Alaska pipeline as recently as May of this year for leaking several thousand barrels of crude. http://www.reuters.com/article/idUSTRE64...

As for me, I get my water from a well, so does the town I live next to, if you live anywhere in Nebraska as far as I know, your water comes from underground. Do you think it's really worth the risk in the long run?