Biden jeopardizes Keystone XL project on first day in office - Only a couple of days and there's already buyer's remorse

https://www.click2houston.com/news/local/2021/01/21/biden-jeopardizes-keystone-xl-project-on-first-day-in-office/

HOUSTON – President Joe Biden signed 15 executive orders and actions within his first few hours in office. The orders involved immigration, racial equality and the coronavirus to name a few.

But the one catching the attention of Houstonians and the energy industry targets the Keystone XL pipeline.

“In Houston, I have a lot of people in the energy industry,” said Congressman Mike McCaul. “I want to protect their jobs.”

McCaul, who represents west and northwest portions of the Houston area, was at Wednesday’s inauguration. He notes that Congress previously has authorized the pipeline and believes the project is good for the country and oil and gas industry. He is willing to have the debate again.

“We’re gonna have a civilized discussion about that,” McCaul said. “But I think you’re going to see some, obviously from Texas, a lot of disagreement on that issue.”

The 1200-mile pipeline addition was designed to transport 830,000 barrels of oil a day from Canada to a site in Nebraska. President Biden’s action today revokes the presidential permit authorized by former President Trump. There’s been a strong reaction from other Texas lawmakers.

Congressman Dan Crenshaw tweeted the move only benefits Russian oligarchs.

However, University of Houston professor Ed Hirs doesn’t believe the president’s order will have a major impact in Houston.

“Cancellation of the Keystone pipeline really doesn’t mean anything for the Houston area,” he said. “Crude oil content from Saudi Arabia and from Venezuela. These are the winners in this debacle. The losers are Canadian friends.”

Canadian officials say the move could harm U.S.-Canadian relations.

Some Canadian leaders are threatening legal action.

---

HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA

 

[BarebackTop-TakeMyLoad]

newsflash, Oil is now tobacco. You won't see anyone in congress at least those with D's next to their names accept money from them. The r's will follow but it will be years.

AGAIN.... I firmly believe that the Democrats will lose the House in 2022.

Because the FUCKING RETARDED LEFT can not leave things alone.

not really a hot take. Every party in power loses the house in the midterms, the only time in the last 30 years that didn't happen was after 9/11

 

[Goyslop Muncher]

AGAIN.... I firmly believe that the Democrats will lose the House in 2022.

Because the FUCKING RETARDED LEFT can not leave things alone.

There will not be another election in the United States.

 

[Marissa Moira]

There will not be another election in the United States.

They're going to be making mail-in voting the norm it seems.

 

[make_it_so]

newsflash, Oil is now tobacco. You won't see anyone in congress at least those with D's next to their names accept money from them. The r's will follow but it will be years.

Tobacco doesn't drive people to work or keep the lights on.

 

[Marissa Moira]

More of this, except a group finds out they're not actually part of the big boy D table.

 

[Toolbox]

newsflash, Oil is now tobacco. You won't see anyone in congress at least those with D's next to their names accept money from them. The r's will follow but it will be years.

Where do you believe most power in the world comes from? Nuclear energy has plateued due to fear mongering dropping its use, wind and solar are huge money sinks with low returns, sea-based solutions are mostly vaporware, and dams are expensive as fuck with decent returns, but not without a lot of damage to the surrounding environment.

 

[Krokodil Overdose]

[This claim about election fraud is disputed. Click here to learn how voting by mail is safe and secure.]

Uh-huh. Sure, my dude. Quick question: are these people acting like elections are going to be a problem going forward?

I don't know if friendship is magic, but revealed preferences sure as shit are.

 

[Rich Evans Apologist]

Uh-huh. Sure, my dude. Quick question: are these people acting like elections are going to be a problem going forward?

I don't know if friendship is magic, but revealed preferences sure as shit are.

Well when your main opposition splits in half, you should feel pretty comfortable about running a Woodrow Wilson. If idiots losing their first election didn't cleave the Republican party, you'd both currently have the senate and you'd be a shoe-in to win the house in 2022.
If you somehow manage to fuck up even taking the house because in 2022... eesh, that'd be the first time since 1977-1981 that dems held all three of 'em for more than one two-year period.

By the way, how does a single mail-in ballot get tabulated into the total? Surely you know this one.
Yes, yes, I know this is off-topic.

 

[Consenticles]

There is a lot of bullshit when it comes to the reasoning behind this.... how this pipeline is stealing Native American land all over again.

Could not be further from the truth. Land owned with federal projects on-site gets a steady stream of promised income per year. Windmill companies do something very similar with farmers, giving a good chunk of change to the single farmer who owns the land in an initial payment, then concurrent payments for "renting" the land.

I understand concerns for leaks, but there is a much greater chance of other sorts of spills if we are now transporting via train, boat, truck, etc. With a pipeline you know exactly where your risks are going to be and because it is on your territory, you can choose the materials to be reliable (American steel vs Chinese steel).

What baffles me is the alternative pipelines are in places like Syria. You cannot possibly claim environmental reasons are the valid excuse for this. In what world is your controlled territory not better to build infrastructure on vs one of the hottest conflicts zones on the planet. Anyone who wants to hurt American infrastructure just has to walk up to this pipeline and chip away at it. Were it on home soil, you wouldn't need to continuously supply a bevy of 10k soldiers to be guarding a fucking pipeline.

But back to the Native Americans, as I had an amazing conversation with a now deceased man who used to work for the government. At one point this guy was in charge of moving an entire US fleet out of the pacific by way of the old fashion astrological navigating, post ww2. This guy was fucking impressive. He was a self made man, and eventually he went into working for the government negotiating the casino business with Native Americans.

And this part is pretty cool, because despite the massive amount of poverty, Native peoples are fucking using the rules of the system they have been grandfathered into and absolutely crushing it.

So you have probably seen casinos, and you know by now they are always run by native Americans, unless ofc they are in a place like Las Vegas. They are built on Indian land to get around these federal rules, but you have probably wondered why a block in the middle of a major city is suddenly considered Indian land, with one of these casinos built on there.

Basically, native Americans can petition the government to purchase certain parcels of land. But not only that, they will be able to basically make this land an autonomous zone of sorts, allowing things like weed and gambling to be just fine so long as it is on this land.

So usually a company or the gov will then buy into the business, partnering with these tribes. They will put the money up front to build this shit, the tribe won't have to even pay. And the only catch is that for the initial period of time, this financing company gets the profits until they are fully compensated. Then all the money goes into the tribes' pockets. This is why you might see that new casinos have insane marketing campaigns to get that initial funding recouped, and then a few years later the parking lots are basically empty. Because that financing firm wants to make its fuckin money back. It stays open for so long despite just a tiny trickle of people ever using the casino, because this is native land and their operating costs are negated from things like taxes.

But the natives are getting very creative with this under new businesses. Even with the legalization of Marijuana, it is very difficult for anyone to go through the trouble of the government permits, keeping up with regulations and shit in order to stay open. So the tribes did something brilliant: they basically did the very same thing that they do with casinos, but instead of building a casino, they build weed stores. Because it is not subject to federal rules, because they can skate around a lot of the permits. Because this is a business that is not going to die out or become a gimmick like a casino is. It is a steady stream of cash with a neverending flow. Tax free for them too.

And I love that they are doing this, because I think it is a brilliant way to ensure cashflow smto your communities. A lot of the tribes out west have not benefited from this as well as those on the eastern side of the country, but they are slowly picking it up. They make a lot of money too, then disperse it as America's most pure form of socialism. Which frankly I do not mind, because as the consumer I am benefitting.

So the bullshit about Native lands being pillaged is just that: bullshit. They have no idea why or how these tribes work. They don't realize the pipeline will fucking bring dollars in, per foot of pipe. It is a guaranteed source of revenue, benefitting the people. And let us remember this land is in the middle of nowhere, it isnt like it is cutting through someone's house. This land is unsuitable for farming in many cases, no one wants to live there - thus why the US gave it to the natives in the first place.

The only thing that puzzles me is why the fuck Biden would think this is a good idea. The answer is likely simply within his donors and his own investments, but it feels like the work the US has done to create its own sustained energy industry is being crushed. Between fracking and this, I don't see how the aim isn't to simply pour money into other countries or at least doing so in order to protect our assets in those countries via armed services. The only thing this can do is increase prices. And the countries that benefit directly from these increases are ones that Biden has dutifully campaigned against: Russia, China, Saudi Arabia, etc. Why pull oil from the other side of the world when you can just have it spoonfed to you at home?

Why destroy these jobs, not only for yourself but for Canada? Why create a longer chain of custody for these millions of gallons of oil, increasing the chances of accidental spills on the way? It goes against environmentalism. It is only greed.

I have posted many times since the election that I choose to give Biden the fair shake that Trump was never afforded. I said I would start him at 0 and he could go up or down, but I would not base my opinion on him on hypotheticals. I would wait until he did something that i agreed with or that I disagreed with to dock or add points for him.. i would give him a clean slate.

But I just have trouble understanding this move. I have issues with the effect it has on us, because we need oil and lower prices are a good thing for us. We want to be able to protect our assets and create an independent and sustainable access to this resource. So why the fuck are we not building it where we can protect it within our borders, on the land of our ally in Canada, and instead opting for the real estate in an open war zone? Which will surely "force" his hand into having to send over troops to protect it/fight wars in Syria (thus funding the personal interests on his cabinet).

I had, and continue to have, a lot of shit I hate about Trump. He made descisions that benefited the corporate world around him most of the time, but this was one of those rare good moves that would also benefit your average people. I dont like what he did and I understand Biden winning was for the very same reasons that so many picked Trump over Hillary: Biden was the lesser of two evils for many. But this is going to give a lot of people voters remorse. there is no reason we shouldn't want to be able to be self sustaining, we shouldn't be able to have lower prices, and when gas gets hiked up to $3-4 again, it will be sad to know that a single man's decision was what caused it. We should want our assets to be strategically placed and to be in no harm once they are in place. We went to the middle east and wrecked war and havoc for over 20 years over this resource, and now you are telling me we can get it from the guy next door for a premium? That we won't have to worry about the middle east anymore because we are secure in this resource? That lives won't be lost or risked overseas to protect it? That we won't have to meddle in a conflict zone that has absolutely nothing to do with American interests, unless of course we deliberately choose to be there?

How the fuck did the democratic party become the pro war guys? There have been many shifts in beliefs over the course of American history, whether that be Democrats being pro slavery at one point and now vehemently against it. But these shifts were few and far in between. What we are seeing now is going much too fast, and people are going to catch onto it.

Think about it: over the last 4 years the Democrat have initiated their own Red Scare, campaigned on war, basically becoming the 80s Reaganers in foreign policy. And no one bats an eye at this insane realignment.

 

[FriedPickles]

They're going to be making mail-in voting the norm it seems.

It’s interesting...Recently Jeff Bezos said that he doesn’t want mail in voting when his Amazon employees vote for or against unionization. His reasoning is that it’s not secure enough.

Jeff Bezos Resisting Mail-In Voting for Amazon Union Election

Jeff Bezos opposes mail-in ballot election for union at a warehouse in Alabama.

pjmedia.com

 

[MarvinTheParanoidAndroid]

Then you get daily blackouts. Good plan.

How about a genset and some diesel. Then you have home storage of fuel for other stuff. Fuck, put an oil burning furnace in the home or shop while you are at it. Use it when you need to.

I don't think people understand what a boondoggle off-grid home solar is. Burning fuel oil for everything is a better option than dealing with daily cycling batteries. You spend more in a year replacing your deep cycles than they spend in dyed #2 diesel.

The grid is going to be unstable because of solar and shit like that. You getting it too doesn't fix things.

Why can't we just have nuclear power?

 

[Coldgrip]

Why can't we just have nuclear power?

Because hippies (their modern equivalent) and the assclown pulling their strings don't want that. Solving our problems and making things more efficient? What are you some sort of nazi that hates the environment?

 

[Vyse Inglebard]

It’s interesting...Recently Jeff Bezos said that he doesn’t want mail in voting when his Amazon employees vote for or against unionization. His reasoning is that it’s not secure enough.

Jeff Bezos Resisting Mail-In Voting for Amazon Union Election

Jeff Bezos opposes mail-in ballot election for union at a warehouse in Alabama.

pjmedia.com

RULES FOR THEE NOT FOR MEEEEEEE...
I bet Bezos was Riden with Biden, too.

 

[Consenticles]

Why can't we just have nuclear power?

States like California closing down their nuclear plants, downsizing it, meanwhile have rolling black outs.

The thing people don't get is that nuclear energy is at 100%usage, 100% of the time. Because we cannot shut the plant off, we use this energy first to meet demands. Then we go for the more cost effective processes like coal bc the conversion rate to electricity is much more efficient than , say, wind power. Or anyone green sort of energy really, also because reliability of these sources cannot be counted on, as you need outside factors (sunny days, windy days, no droughts) to guarantee that this source can be used.

Green energy is great, but the issues do not lie in the people who own these coal power plants. The issues lie in the science itself, the efficiency of converting and distributing that energy.

not to mention the fact that we have had the green energy solution since 1945. Nuclear energy is clean and converts at a very efficient rate. We can count on it reliably, rain, sleet, or snow. We as a society simply are too afraid to move past this because of events like Fukushima and Chernobyl.

I have a very very cool magazine from right after the chernobyl crisis went public in the US, detailing the literal first look for westerners about this accident. It was produced jointly by the USSR and USA in order to bridge the scientific gap between the two countries. If you want I can post it.

Edit - here is some hastily taken pics of the article there is another on the moratorium to not detonate nuclear explosions, but this one is basically one of the first western glimpses of soviet PoV of chernobyl and I thought it was relevant. I have much to share about my country

 

[General Tug Boat]

Nuclear Energy is one of the most efficient forms of energy extrapolation in the modern age. The problem is that most people get fear mongered into believing that nuclear power is evil because of Mein Chernobyl made my penis fall off rhetoric. The processes involved are quite elegant and are very fascinating to study. Fission energy has come leaps and bounds over the last 20 years, but most plants are still operating at gen II some even still at gen I standards, regarding their reactors. This is roughly the generation the plants that accidents like Fukushima and Chernobyl reactor architecture is based on. Though Fukushimas BWR reactors and Chernobyls RBMK reactors are very different, but conceptually in design are from the same generation of reactors.

It's like the same arguments people make about coal despite the advances of the refinery process over the last 50 years, and there is very large supply of cleaner coal based in the US, which could take a lot of our energy demand for a considerable duration. Nuclear energy is an extremely complex form of energy management, but the supply load as well the environmental implications are less of a burden if companies where willing to invest more in the tech. Gen IV reactors are actually the up and coming method that they project should be implemented by mid decade. Though funding issues have really delayed progress of this generation of reactors. One of the best of the class being researched currently are the Molten Salt Reactors which are sort of like this generations implementation similar to the Thorium based power plants of the past.
These type of reactors circumvent the issues with the conventional fission process, eliminating the environmental leeching, and also the instabilities of water based coolant based designs.

Though this is more of the matter that the current world order doesn't seem want to pony up the research costs associated. The next Elon Musk will be in that sector of the economy, the technical elements have come leaps and bounds since the 60's. We are seeing the second wave of development in that field, just not a lot of people are taking about it, because people are still fixated on wind and solar being our saving grace. Despite that tech is 50 years behind where it needs to be for it to be viable.

These type of OPEC projects meet current energy demands so shouldn't be quickly abandoned, but alternatives are arising. Even look at the advancements in Fusion Reactors in the last decade. That experiment if it works will be a God send for humanity. Fusion has been picking up a lot of momentum since now time and time again it's been able to twice the yield of output opposed to input. Stability has been always an issue in regards of producing a lasting plasma field. Though if this experiment goes correctly, then our energy demands can be met.

 

[MarvinTheParanoidAndroid]

I have a very very cool magazine from right after the chernobyl crisis went public in the US, detailing the literal first look for westerners about this accident. It was produced jointly by the USSR and USA in order to bridge the scientific gap between the two countries. If you want I can post it.

Cool, do it.

 

[Commander X]

It’s interesting...Recently Jeff Bezos said that he doesn’t want mail in voting when his Amazon employees vote for or against unionization. His reasoning is that it’s not secure enough.

Jeff Bezos Resisting Mail-In Voting for Amazon Union Election

Jeff Bezos opposes mail-in ballot election for union at a warehouse in Alabama.

pjmedia.com

 

[2021Murder]

Remember when oil prices actually went negative? That ain't happening anymore.

Back in 2000 SNL had a skit about how if Gore won oil would have negative prices and we wouldnt be fighting wars in the middle east. That happened in real life with Trump.


My favorite part about the keystone pipeline is that even Jon Stewart said that you'd have to be a fucking idiot to not support it. When you have the daily show punching left you know you fucked up.

The keystone pipeline is like the 4th one set up connecting the source and destination.

Also I love all these leftists that hate oil but hate musk too.

Musk is going to be the first trillionaire by the end of the decade. The other car companies still cant figure out how to compete aganist an african pothead.

 

[Hatoful Dandy]

Utah Native American tribe asks Biden administration for energy lease order to be ‘withdrawn or amended’​

(The Center Square) – The Ute Indian Tribe of the Uinta and Ouray Reservation in Utah sent a letter to the U.S. Department of Interior (DOI) this week asking for the agency’s recent order that temporarily halts leases and permits for energy development on federal land to be “withdrawn or amended.”

Luke Duncan, the tribe’s chairman, sent the letter on Thursday asking the DOI to amend its order “to provide an exception for energy permits and approvals on Indian lands.”

“The Ute Indian Tribe and other energy producing tribes rely on energy development to fund our governments and provide services to our members,” said the letter, which was obtained by The Center Square.


The letter comes after Acting Interior Secretary Scott de la Vega signed an order Wednesday that halts approvals of new federal land leases and drilling permits for 60 days.

The order was among other moves President Joe Biden made in the first days of his presidency to reinstate stricter environmental regulations that were rolled back under the Trump administration. Biden revoked the Keystone XL pipeline’s permit and rejoined the Paris Climate Accord, among other executive orders he signed this week.

The DOI’s order says it “continues its existing operations – including operations necessary for health, safety, and national security matters – consistent with all legal obligations and policy goals to uphold trust and treaty responsibility to tribal nations.”

Duncan, however, says in the letter that the order “is a direct attack on our economy, sovereignty, and our right to self-determination,” and alleges it violates the U.S.’ treaty with the tribe, which has 2,970 members.

“Indian lands are not federal public lands,” he added. “Any action on our lands and interests can only be taken after effective tribal consultation.”


“The Order must be withdrawn or amended to comply with Federal law and policies,” the letter said.

DOI did not respond to a request for comment on whether it would amend or rescind the order.

Utah Gov. Spencer Cox, Lt. Gov. Deidre Henderson and the state’s congressional delegation also criticized the Biden administration in a statement, calling the order “a serious mistake that will harm” small businesses in the state that are struggling with the COVID-19 pandemic.

“Although it is routine for an incoming administration to pause high-level agency decisions while agency leaders get into place, such a widespread suspension of routine permitting decisions normally made in the field is unprecedented,” read the statement.

Utah Sens. Mike Lee and Mitt Romney, Utah Reps. John Curtis, Blake Moore, Chris Stewart and Burgess Owens, state Senate President Stuart Adams, state House Speaker Brad Wilson and Utah Attorney General Sean Reyes were all part of the joint statement.

"The economic impacts of this decision will be felt nation-wide and couldn’t come at a worse time for Utah’s rural communities, tribes, and small businesses,” the statement continued. “Our energy industry is among the hardest hit by the pandemic. Utahns previously employed in the energy sector have lost their jobs in historic numbers. This decision only exacerbates the problem.”

Utah is estimated to lose a total of $1.5 billion in oil and gas tax revenues by 2040 from a lease moratorium on federal land, according to a report commissioned by the Wyoming Legislature.

https://www.kpvi.com/news/national_news/utah-native-american-tribe-asks-biden-administration-for-energy-lease-order-to-be-withdrawn-or/article_a9e5ba5e-bf6e-56c9-b41e-0129ff1ca667.html

 

[Garm]

Utah Native American tribe asks Biden administration for energy lease order to be ‘withdrawn or amended’​

(The Center Square) – The Ute Indian Tribe of the Uinta and Ouray Reservation in Utah sent a letter to the U.S. Department of Interior (DOI) this week asking for the agency’s recent order that temporarily halts leases and permits for energy development on federal land to be “withdrawn or amended.”

Luke Duncan, the tribe’s chairman, sent the letter on Thursday asking the DOI to amend its order “to provide an exception for energy permits and approvals on Indian lands.”

“The Ute Indian Tribe and other energy producing tribes rely on energy development to fund our governments and provide services to our members,” said the letter, which was obtained by The Center Square.


The letter comes after Acting Interior Secretary Scott de la Vega signed an order Wednesday that halts approvals of new federal land leases and drilling permits for 60 days.

The order was among other moves President Joe Biden made in the first days of his presidency to reinstate stricter environmental regulations that were rolled back under the Trump administration. Biden revoked the Keystone XL pipeline’s permit and rejoined the Paris Climate Accord, among other executive orders he signed this week.

The DOI’s order says it “continues its existing operations – including operations necessary for health, safety, and national security matters – consistent with all legal obligations and policy goals to uphold trust and treaty responsibility to tribal nations.”

Duncan, however, says in the letter that the order “is a direct attack on our economy, sovereignty, and our right to self-determination,” and alleges it violates the U.S.’ treaty with the tribe, which has 2,970 members.

“Indian lands are not federal public lands,” he added. “Any action on our lands and interests can only be taken after effective tribal consultation.”


“The Order must be withdrawn or amended to comply with Federal law and policies,” the letter said.

DOI did not respond to a request for comment on whether it would amend or rescind the order.

Utah Gov. Spencer Cox, Lt. Gov. Deidre Henderson and the state’s congressional delegation also criticized the Biden administration in a statement, calling the order “a serious mistake that will harm” small businesses in the state that are struggling with the COVID-19 pandemic.

“Although it is routine for an incoming administration to pause high-level agency decisions while agency leaders get into place, such a widespread suspension of routine permitting decisions normally made in the field is unprecedented,” read the statement.

Utah Sens. Mike Lee and Mitt Romney, Utah Reps. John Curtis, Blake Moore, Chris Stewart and Burgess Owens, state Senate President Stuart Adams, state House Speaker Brad Wilson and Utah Attorney General Sean Reyes were all part of the joint statement.

"The economic impacts of this decision will be felt nation-wide and couldn’t come at a worse time for Utah’s rural communities, tribes, and small businesses,” the statement continued. “Our energy industry is among the hardest hit by the pandemic. Utahns previously employed in the energy sector have lost their jobs in historic numbers. This decision only exacerbates the problem.”

Utah is estimated to lose a total of $1.5 billion in oil and gas tax revenues by 2040 from a lease moratorium on federal land, according to a report commissioned by the Wyoming Legislature.

https://www.kpvi.com/news/national_news/utah-native-american-tribe-asks-biden-administration-for-energy-lease-order-to-be-withdrawn-or/article_a9e5ba5e-bf6e-56c9-b41e-0129ff1ca667.html

Unions and now the Indians. Man. Biden really kicked a beehive with that pipeline.