Keystone XL: A Path to Texas' Future

The need for a sustainable source of energy is as important to Texas as it is to America. The proposed Keystone XL, a pipeline that would run from Canada to the Gulf Coast of Texas, is the most viable option to meet that need in some time. Barry Smitherman, a member of the Texas Railroad Commision, mirrors this sentiment. The commentary article Mr. Smitherman wrote for the Austin American Statesman website on September 27th(Visit Keystone XL), is a clear cut argument for the approval of this project, in my opinion. Mr. Smitherman is appealing to all Texans who've had to buckle down during these recession years. The projected economic impact of this pipeline (50,300 person-years of employment and $1.6 billion in increased personal income) alone is a boost to a Texas economy that's already beginning to sputter. The ecological impact has been exhaustively reviewed and the verdict still remains that this pipeline won't have any major impacts. Mr. Smitherman is correct in advocating for a project that can do nothing but boost the Texas economy and Texans' personal pocketbooks while having no signicant ecological impact. The Keystone XL has national appeal as well, being a signicant counter-measure in the dependence on foreign oil. These reasons, combined with my personal belief, confirm that a new "trans-continental" pipeline could be a huge boost to the economy, both to Texas and the United States.