Safe Communities, Safe Schools Act of 2013--Motion to Proceed

Floor Speech

BREAK IN TRANSCRIPT

Mr. HOEVEN. Madam President, I rise this morning to speak in regard to the Keystone XL Pipeline project. Much has been made recently about pipeline spills in Arkansas and in Texas. These spills are being used by opponents of the Keystone XL Pipeline project as examples or reasons to not approve the Keystone Pipeline. Now, no one ever wants a spill of any kind, but let's deal with the facts rather than misperception or emotion. This is an important project, and it is important that we deal with the facts.

The Exxon spill in Arkansas involves a pipeline known as the Pegasus pipeline. This pipeline was built in the 1940s--1947 and 1948. Approximately 5,000 barrels of oil were spilled. The EPA considers that a major spill because anything above 250 barrels is considered a major spill. Emergency response personnel were on the ground within 30 minutes of the leak being detected. Approximately 640 cleanup people have responded to the incident in addition to Federal, State, and local responders.

There has been no impact to the drinking water. I will repeat that: There has been no impact to the drinking water, and the oil did not enter any lake or waterway. Fourteen vacuum trucks and sixteen storage tanks are on site. The claim's hotline has been established for residents affected by the spill to register claims and for anyone who wants information. As of today about 140 claims have been made. ExxonMobile is paying for the cleanup and they have committed to honor any valid claims. So that is the Arkansas spill that much is being made about by opponents of approving the Keystone XL Pipeline.

The other one they talked about is in West Columbia, TX, and that is a pipeline owned by Shell Oil. Let's talk about that project for just a minute.

There was approximately 950 barrels of oil spilled, and 50 barrels of that oil entered the waterway. All 50 barrels have been cleaned up. Let me repeat that: All 50 barrels have already been cleaned up. The company is now working to clean up the remaining 900 barrels of oil that is located on land.

This pipeline is an oil-gathering pipeline that gathers oil from the gulf. It is not an oil sands pipeline. The Keystone XL Pipeline, of course, would be an oil sands pipeline, and that is not what this is. Furthermore, Shell believes the break in this pipeline happened because a contractor was working in this area and perforated the pipe. There was not a default in the pipe or the pipe leaking. They believe the injury to the pipeline was caused by a worker in that area.

Let's consider some basic pipeline safety facts. Pipelines are the safest and most efficient way to transport oil and gas. Let's compare accidents at pipelines to accidents for trucks, for barges, or for rail. Accidents are 1,000 times more likely to occur with a truck hauling oil versus a pipeline. What was that number? Accidents are 1,000 times more likely to occur when moving oil by truck than by pipeline. An oilspill is 13 times more likely to occur when it is moved by a barge versus a pipeline. Oilspills are five times more likely if it is moved by rail than by pipeline.

Using a pipeline to transfer oil will result in 1,000 fewer spills compared to moving it by truck, 13 times fewer spills than moving it by barge, and five times fewer spills than moving it by rail. Those are the safety statistics on pipelines versus alternative methods of moving oil.

The Arkansas pipeline was built in the 1940s, so actually the incident highlights the need to build new infrastructure using the latest technology. The Keystone XL Pipeline is one of the most advanced and most studied pipeline projects in our country's history. For example, the Keystone XL Pipeline will be monitored through a centralized high-tech center 24 hours a day, 365 days a year. Satellite technology will send data every 5 seconds from 21,000 data points to the monitoring center. If a drop in pressure is detected, any section of the pipeline can be isolated remotely thereby closing any of the hundreds of valves on the system within minutes.

After four environmental impact statements and 5 years of review, the State Department has determined that the Keystone XL Pipeline will create no significant impacts to the environment. Again, they have determined it will create no significant impacts to the environment, and that is why several weeks ago 62 Senators supported an amendment that was sponsored by myself, Senator Baucus, and other Senators. Again, 62 Senators went on record approving the Keystone XL Pipeline project.

Furthermore, 66 Senators, two-thirds of the Senators, voted against an amendment that was put forward by Senator Boxer that would have further delayed the project and added more restrictions to the project. Two-thirds of this body went on record opposing more delays and more restrictions; 62 Senators then voted to approve the project. That is why 70 percent of Americans in a recent poll said they want the Keystone XL Pipeline approved.

This project is about more energy and more jobs for this country. This pipeline project is about growing our economy and producing tax revenues to help with our debt and deficit, not by raising taxes but by growing the economy and stimulating more economic activity. This project is about eliminating our dependence on oil from places such as the Middle East and Venezuela. That is a national security issue.

It is vital that when we are working on important issues, we deal with the facts, and those are the facts.

I thank the Chair, and I note the absence of a quorum.

BREAK IN TRANSCRIPT

Source