Home Regular Contributors Cody Battershill Let’s Keep Keystone Moving Forward!

Let’s Keep Keystone Moving Forward!

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Cody Battershill.

You likely heard the state of Nebraska issued a permit recently for a revised route for Keystone XL. At the time of this writing, folks are studying the new permit to determine how it will affect costs and timing.

But in this era of trans-boundary energy protests and continuing opposition to infrastructure, I view the issuing of a permit as generally positive news – as long as the new route doesn’t kill the project’s economic or environmental health.

With that as background, I was happy Danielle Smith invited me onto her radio show to discuss this latest development, as well as the anti-pipeline and anti-oil and gas protests that generate a constant barrage of negativity toward the sector.

In the case of Keystone XL especially, many critics seem to have missed the boat with their ill-informed attacks.

Over the last nine years, a majority of landowners in North Dakota, Montana and Nebraska have voluntarily supported Keystone XL. Yes, the project has some vocal opponents and we have to continue to work with them to find shared solutions.

But let’s be clear. Keystone XL will do a tremendous amount of good for North American trade, for energy security and for our local economy. And Keystone XL will transport more Canadian energy to the U.S. Gulf Coast where it can displace other, often more carbon-intensive product from Venezuela, Mexico, Saudi Arabia and Brazil – and that’s good for the environment.

So, as I did on air, now I’m also asking you: please stay involved in the discussion around Keystone XL and all Canadian pipelines. Please encourage your friends, families, neighbours and colleagues to consider the science, to respect the rule of law and to push to get this important project built.

Consider the following actions:

  • Encourage your network to respect the Canadian approvals process and the Canadian rule of law.
  • Be in touch with your elected officials. Ask our policy-makers to be proud of our Canadian leadership, and to support our energy sector.
  • And visit websites like ours (below) to stay fully informed and engaged.

Canadians are leaders in producing oil and gas that strikes an ideal balance between protecting people and the planet. We’ve been staring tens of billions of dollars of private investment in the face for a decade.

For the sake of our country, it’s time to move this and other projects forward.

Cody Battershill is a Calgary Realtor and founder/spokesperson for CanadaAction.ca, a volunteer organization that supports Canadian energy development and the environmental, social and economic benefits that come with it.

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