A recent article outlined the problems that the Keystone XL pipeline has posed for

both the United States and Canada.

It all stems from the tar sands - located in Alberta, Canada - that contain an

estimated 170 billion barrels of bitumen.

This measures as the 3rd largest oil reserve in the

world.

This reserve produced over $90 billion in gross domestic product for Canada in 2012; this number is expected to

continue rising due to claims by Stephen Harper’s

administration.

His administration has said that it wants to turn Canada into an “international energy

superpower.”

Here is where the aforementioned Keystone XL

pipeline comes into play.

Stretching from Alberta all the way (when completed) to Nebraska, this pipeline has

accounted for numerous protests from Americans.

The pipeline has been delayed several times due to

assessment by the U.S. government on the amount of environmental impact the

pipeline will place on American soil.

There seems to be no end in sight for the deliberations.

The Keystone XL pipeline, which was originally

proposed in 2008, is actually just a portion of the Keystone system.

This system is already over 2,000 miles long, stretching

from Hardisty all the way down to Houston, Texas.

Keystone XL would be the fourth phase of the project.

Jordan Larson, writer for the Pacific Standard, noted that delays in negotiations with the U.S. might be the result

of Canada’s “declining environmental track record

and its international reputation.”

Larson notes that since Harper’s Conservative Party

won a parliamentary majority in 2011, Canada’s emphasis on environmental

science issues quickly declined.

Cuts on funding have undermined environmental

causes throughout the country.

Larson points to research projects such as the Polar Environment Atmospheric

Research Lab (PEARL) that have either ended abruptly

or were turned over to a third-party organization.

The glaring budget bill, C-38, amended a couple dozen

laws that were concerned with environmental

protection and regulation.

Bloomberg investigated some of the issues between

the U.S. and Canada in regards to the Keystone XL

project.

It noted that Canada’s new approach to environmental

issues is causing a controversy between the two

countries, as Obama has particular issues with Canada’s ignorance to

regulate emissions from the pipeline.

As a result, the U.S. Department of

Transportation’s Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration has placed two new conditions

on the Keystone XL pipeline.

It is forcing TransCanada (the company constructing

the pipeline) to implement a quality management system.

Also, TransCanada must have a third-party inspection company present at the site,

monitoring its progress.

We’ll see how Canada and the U.S. progress with

Keystone XL.

Canada has already proposed four other pipelines within the

country’s borders - it seems that they’ll be moving forward with their oil

industry whether the U.S. is involved or not.