Keystone Pipeline Plan Rejected

(Note to teachers: Please use the first 55 seconds of this broadcast piece for the exercise.)

President Obama denied an application to build the Keystone XL pipeline, a project that would have carried oil 1,700 miles from the tar sands of Canada to refineries in Port Arthur, Texas.

The president had postponed consideration of a permit last summer, citing environmental concerns. But Republicans demanded a decision, as part of December's deal on extending the payroll tax cut.

The Keystone XL pipeline project has been billed as a way to both cut America's reliance on oil from overseas and create sorely needed jobs. But opponents say the pipeline will destroy valuable farmland and pose major risks.

In a statement, Mr. Obama said he would not support the pipeline because the rushed deadline did not allow for proper assessment.

House Speaker John Boehner criticized Mr. Obama's decision, saying the president had broken his promise since the pipeline would lead to the creation of many new jobs.

Quotes

"The rushed and arbitrary deadline insisted on by congressional Republicans prevented a full assessment of the pipeline's impact," -Mr. Obama.

"The president has said he will do anything that he can to create jobs. Today, that promise was broken," - House Speaker John Boehner.

Warm Up Questions

1. Where does oil come from? How is it extracted from the ground?

2. What is a pipeline?

3. What is a refinery?

Discussion Questions

1. Do you think the Keystone XL pipeline should be built? Why or why not?

2. Why do you think the U.S. is interested in importing more oil from Canada?

3. What other forms of energy production do you know of, besides oil? Do you think any of them could be used extensively in the U.S.? Why or why not?

Additional Resources