Critical Thinking Paper

Theodore Yuan

CAP 9

Period 7

6 April 2020
 Gas and oil pipelines have become an immensely controversial subject in the United

States today. With the country’s population growing and increased dependence on technology,

the demand for energy has never been higher. Pipelines transport crude and refined petroleum,

and fuels like natural gas and oil around the country. Environmentally, pipelines represent a

distinct threat to the lands through which they run, with accidents harming plant and animal

populations and contaminating human drinking water supplies. In addition to its direct

environmental impacts, increased access to fossil fuels releases more carbon dioxide into Earth’s

atmosphere, further contributing to climate change. Economically, the construction of pipelines

can create large numbers of jobs; however, energy researchers are concerned about the amount

of money being invested into an energy source that is not sustainable. Another growing concern

associated with the construction of pipelines is the intrusion, displacement, and inconvenience of

various communities, often already disadvantaged economically or socially. The U.S.

government must stop the construction of pipelines because of their destruction of various

ecosystems, their disproportionate effect on marginalized communities, and their perpetuation of

heavy reliance on fossil fuels.

Pipelines damage ecosystems and their inhabitants. These damages are caused by fuel

spills and by the construction and presence of the pipelines themselves. Pipelines often spill or

release fluid into the environment. Often this is due to an accident and the pipeline itself may

break and leak; however the majority of releases are intentional. Fuel is released intentionally

“due to controlled spills that result from maintenance, pressure control, or functionality tests”

(Belvederesi). Belvederesi also adds that intentional releases are “usually supervised and

managed such that the product can be recovered” and that unintentional releases are the cause of
most environmental harm; however, even intentional releases often remained nearly completely

unrecovered. On average from 2010 to 2017, 85% of product released both intentionally and

unintentionally remained unrecovered. This unrecovered product, often crude oil destroys animal

and plant populations in those ecosystems. In 2013, 1,400 barrels of hazardous liquid was

released in pipeline accidents, (1,100 bbl of that product being released intentionally) and

approximately 1,300 barrels remained unrecovered (Belvederesi). Displacement, endangerment

of animalsThe Keystone XL is still under construction, but it is already becoming a threat to

surrounding wildlife. The whooping crane, already critically endangered, will be at risk of flying

into the power lines that are part of the new pipeline (Brady). The greater-sage grouse is another

species put at risk by the pipeline. In addition to losing some of its habitat, the pipeline and its

noise could disrupt mating patterns and breeding success of the grouse (Brady). The Keystone

XL pipeline is also further endangering the swift fox and the American burying beetle among

many others (Brady). The Refugio oil spill resulted from a leak in an onshore pipeline, whose

more-than-100,000 gallons of spilled oil flowed down onto the coast, 21,000 gallons making it

into the ocean (“Refugio Oil Spill”). The spill killed and injured the wildlife in the

ten-square-mile oil slick that it created such as sea otters, brown pelicans, and humpback whales

(Cooper). Cooper also noted that the area was one of the most biologically diverse on the West

Coast and that it was unlikely that this biodiversity would be easily regained. Although the

pipeline failure rate has declined considerably since 2011, constructing more oil and gas

pipelines will result in more hazardous spills than without them (Belvederesi). The risk is still

too high to build more pipelines. In addition to the unintentional spills and releases, sometimes

product, often crude oil or natural gas, must be deliberately released into the environment
surrounding the pipeline (Belvederesi). Although pipelines have gotten slightly safer over the

years, the risk of spills and releases, whether intentional or not, is still too high to construct new

ones. Pipelines’ contents and their potential release, their construction, and their very presence

make them a threat to the ecosystems around them. While plant and animal populations are

devastated by the construction of pipelines, humans in close proximity also encounter

difficulties.

During the construction of pipelines, routes are often drawn through marginalized

communities. With these pipelines come risks and difficulties for the people nearby. Because of

the socioeconomic status often held by more affluent communities, pipeline routes are often

drawn through marginalized or low-income communities, putting them at more of a

disadvantage. According to Lyndsey Gilpin, a reporter who traced the path of the Atlantic Coast

Pipeline and met the people impacted by it and its construction, the pipeline poses a major public

health threat to the people nearby. Contamination is a worry for everything from water to soil to

air. Groundwater and soil is often contaminated by pipeline contents. Additionally air can be

contaminated through off-gassing as well as accidental spills and explosions. One group whose

people are disproportionately impacted by pipelines are Native Americans. Pipeline routes are

often drawn through Native American reservations, but the residents rarely get a say in whether

the pipelines go through their land. The federal government is legally required to work and

communicate with Native American tribes when they are potentially impacted by an oil or gas

project; however, this process is not always carried out (Sadasivam). Sometimes, attempts from

the tribes to reach out to federal agencies are left unanswered (Sadasivam). According to Marion

Werkheiser, a founding partner at the law firm Cultural Heritage Partners, “It’s difficult for tribes
to know what to expect when they get into the process because some agencies are not fulfilling

their obligations” (Sadasivam). Because of Native American tribes’ societal marginalization,

their communities are often the ones forced to live in such close proximity to the pipelines. Like

many, these communities often suffer from water contamination (Brady). Additionally, land

considered sacred by Native American tribes is also damaged by pipelines. The Dakota Access

Pipeline is set to run through Standing Rock Sioux Reservation, North Dakota (Ravitz). As of

January 2017, Bulldozers had already removed topsoil from land considered sacred by the tribe

(Brady). Faith Spotted Eagle, a “grandmother,” a term used for a female elder in the tribe,

expressed her frustration with Western “experts” trying to prove that the ground in question

holds no significance. Spotted Eagle says “What's sacred cannot be confirmed through [the

pipeline’s proponents’] eyes” (Ravitz).

The construction of pipelines perpetuates the United States’ heavy reliance on fossil

fuels. As more pipelines are built across the country, fossil fuels become more accessible. With

more routes connecting people to fossil fuels, the rate at which fossil fuels are harvested

increases. Every time that another pipeline is built, because of their extremely expensive cost,

more resources and money is invested in the fossil fuel industry, furthering the United States’

heavy reliance on fossil fuels as a source of energy. The Atlantic Sunrise Pipeline cost

$13,137,056 per mile. The average cost per mile for pipelines expected to be completed from

2018-2020 in the United States was over 8,000,000 per mile of pipeline (Bradford). According to

data found by the Oil and Gas Journal between 2015 and 2016, the average cost for constructing

an onshore pipeline was $7.65 million per mile (“What Does Natural Gas Pipeline”). This

colossal amount of money could be invested in more sustainable alternative sources of energy. In
2019, the United States ranked second in the world for CO2 emissions, accounting for 19% of

the entire world’s emissions (“Each Country’s Share”), while accounting for less than 5% of the

world in population (“Countries in the world”). When investigating the Keystone XL pipeline,

the EPA found that when more pipelines are built, more oil can be extracted at the same time,

increasing the rate of greenhouse gas release (Brady). In the specific case of the Keystone XL

pipeline, which takes its oil from tar sands in Canada, greenhouse gas emissions would be even

more accelerated due to the lowered efficiency of extraction in the tar sands compared to other

more conventional methods of extraction (Brady). Pipelines, because they have the ability to

transport hundreds of thousands of gallons of oil or gas every day, risk increasing fossil fuel

extraction, further contributing to climate change and delaying the transition to renewable energy

sources.

Despite the negative effects of pipelines, they create temporary jobs for workers. Another

argument made in favor of pipelines emphasizes that they may increase efficiency of transport.

According to the State Department, the Keystone XL pipeline could create up to 42,100

temporary jobs during its construction, but only 50 permanent jobs and the Dakota Access

Pipeline would create 12,000 temporary jobs but only 40 permanent jobs (Brady). In addition to

the jobs needed directly at the project, the pipeline’s completion has implications for refinery

workers at the end of the line. If the pipeline is not built, refinery workers could lose their jobs

(Brady). For this reason, sometimes locals welcome the prospect of pipeline construction when

they are in need of a job (Gilpin). While some politicians claim that pipelines create important

jobs for people, the economic growth from the pipelines is usually minimal (Ward). Groups in

favor of pipelines also claim that using other modes of transport such as trains slows down the
process of energy conversion and that it is “better long-term for the environment” (Brady).

However this is also not true. If the pipelines were not built, fossil fuel use would decrease, and

renewable alternatives would be used. While pipelines do have some temporary benefits for

people in need of jobs, their immense environmental impact outweighs their minimal economic

advantage.

Pipelines have undeniable effects on our country. For their proponents, they create much

needed temporary jobs and represent the most efficient way of transporting gas and oil around

the country; however, their drawbacks are undeniable. They are often detrimental to their natural

surroundings and wildlife, as well as the human communities through which they run. In addition

to the more direct effects of these pipelines is the perpetuation, and in some cases the increased

reliance upon fossil fuels. The use of fossil fuel energy further contributes to climate change,

which is already proving and will continue to prove to be harmful to everyone on Earth.

Pipelines, while sometimes temporarily beneficial, are a threat to the people and animals around

them, as well as all of Earth’s inhabitants.

 Works Cited

Belvederesi, Chiara. "Statistical analysis of environmental consequences of hazardous liquid

pipeline accidents." ​PubMed Central,​ 7 Nov. 2018,

www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6226826/. Accessed 17 Feb. 2020.

Bradford, Andrew. "Gas Pipeline Costs Run Higher." ​BTU Analytics,​ 7 Sept. 2018,

btuanalytics.com/gas-pipeline-costs-run-higher/. Accessed 5 Apr. 2020.

Brady, Heather. "4 Key Impacts of the Keystone XL and Dakota Access Pipelines." ​National

Geographic,​ 25 Jan. 2017,

www.nationalgeographic.com/news/2017/01/impact-keystone-dakota-access-pipeline-en

vironment-global-warming-oil-health/. Accessed 17 Feb. 2020.

Cooper, Lara. "Oil Spill Reported on Coast Near Refugio State Beach". ​Noozhawk​, 19 May 2015,

Accessed Apr. 6, 2020.

"Countries in the world by population." ​Worldometer,​

www.worldometers.info/world-population/population-by-country/. Accessed 6 Apr.

2020.

"Each Country's Share of CO2 Emissions." ​Union of Concerned Scientists​, 10 Oct. 2019,

www.ucsusa.org/resources/each-countrys-share-co2-emissions. Accessed 6 Apr. 2020.

Gilpin, Lyndsey. "Tracing the Path of Dominion Energy's Atlantic Coast Natural Gas Pipeline."

Grist​, 3 Dec. 2019,

grist.org/justice/tracing-the-path-of-dominion-energys-atlantic-coast-natural-gas-pipeline/

. Accessed 6 Apr. 2020.

Ravitz, Jessica. "The sacred land at the center of the Dakota pipeline dispute." ​CNN,​

www.cnn.com/2016/11/01/us/standing-rock-sioux-sacred-land-dakota-pipeline/index.htm

l. Accessed 6 Apr. 2020.

"Refugio Oil Spill." ​Center for Biological Diversity​,

www.biologicaldiversity.org/campaigns/Refugio_oil_spill/index.html. Accessed 6 Apr.

2020.

Sadasivam, Naveena. "Federal agencies are required to consult with tribes about pipelines. They

often don't." ​Grist​, 2 Jan. 2020,

grist.org/energy/federal-agencies-are-required-to-consult-with-tribes-about-pipelines-they

-often-dont/. Accessed 17 Feb. 2020.

Ward, Ellen R. "Here Are The Jobs The Keystone XL Pipeline Would Create Under Trump's

Executive Order." ​Forbes​,

www.worldometers.info/world-population/population-by-country/. Accessed 6 Apr.

2020.

"What Does Natural Gas Pipeline Cost per Mile." ​Hanging H Co,​

hanginghco.com/natural-gas-pipeline-construction-cost-per-mile/. Accessed 4 Apr. 2020.

 Annotated Bibliography

Belvederesi, Chiara. "Statistical analysis of environmental consequences of hazardous liquid

pipeline accidents." ​PubMed Central,​ 7 Nov. 2018,

www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6226826/. Accessed 17 Feb. 2020. This article

provides an in-depth analysis of how hazardous liquids from pipelines can impact people

and animals. The article includes many charts and graphs.

Bradford, Andrew. "Gas Pipeline Costs Run Higher." ​BTU Analytics,​ 7 Sept. 2018,

btuanalytics.com/gas-pipeline-costs-run-higher/. Accessed 5 Apr. 2020. This article

provides a detailed overview of the increase in pipeline costs. BTU Analytics is a trusted

energy advisor and its information is thorough and reliable.

Brady, Heather. "4 Key Impacts of the Keystone XL and Dakota Access Pipelines." ​National

Geographic,​ 25 Jan. 2017,

www.nationalgeographic.com/news/2017/01/impact-keystone-dakota-access-pipeline-en

vironment-global-warming-oil-health/. Accessed 17 Feb. 2020. The article covers the

wide variety of impacts of pipelines in the U.S.

Cooper, Lara. "Oil Spill Reported on Coast Near Refugio State Beach". ​Noozhawk​, 19 May 2015,

Accessed Apr. 6, 2020. This source details the natural significance of the area impacted

by the Refugio oil spill. This source is also from the time of the spill and was written for

a local news outlet, making it a different perspective on pipelines.

"Countries in the world by population." ​Worldometer,​

www.worldometers.info/world-population/population-by-country/. Accessed 6 Apr.

 2020. This source provides accurate numbers and percentages of world and country

population.

"Each Country's Share of CO2 Emissions." ​Union of Concerned Scientists​, 10 Oct. 2019,

www.ucsusa.org/resources/each-countrys-share-co2-emissions. Accessed 6 Apr. 2020.

This source provides valuable statistics about different countries usage of fossil fuels, and

thus their CO2 emissions, particularly the United States.

Gilpin, Lyndsey. "Tracing the Path of Dominion Energy's Atlantic Coast Natural Gas Pipeline."

Grist​, 3 Dec. 2019,

grist.org/justice/tracing-the-path-of-dominion-energys-atlantic-coast-natural-gas-pipeline/

. Accessed 6 Apr. 2020. This web page provides a first hand account of someone who

talked to all of the people who are being affected by the construction of this new

Dominion Energy pipeline. This is an important source to look at because it provides an

alternative perspective to this controversial issue. The people whose voices are included

in this article do not typically have the platform to speak to such a broad audience about

their experience.

Ravitz, Jessica. "The sacred land at the center of the Dakota pipeline dispute." ​CNN,​

www.cnn.com/2016/11/01/us/standing-rock-sioux-sacred-land-dakota-pipeline/index.htm

l. Accessed 6 Apr. 2020. This story provides the in-depth perspective of someone directly

impacted by the pipeline. She explains the land and how it is sacred. It is an important

perspective to look at because of the significance that it has in the narrative of pipelines.

"Refugio Oil Spill." ​Center for Biological Diversity​,

www.biologicaldiversity.org/campaigns/Refugio_oil_spill/index.html. Accessed 6 Apr.

 2020. This source explains how marine life can be impacted by an onshore pipeline. The

article thoroughly explains which species were impacted by the spill. The Center for

Biological Diversity is a reliable source because they are an organization that monitors

threats to biodiversity.

Sadasivam, Naveena. "Federal agencies are required to consult with tribes about pipelines. They

often don't." ​Grist​, 2 Jan. 2020,

grist.org/energy/federal-agencies-are-required-to-consult-with-tribes-about-pipelines-they

-often-dont/. Accessed 17 Feb. 2020. This article details how pipeline construction often

intrudes on Native American lands.

Ward, Ellen R. "Here Are The Jobs The Keystone XL Pipeline Would Create Under Trump's

Executive Order." ​Forbes​,

www.worldometers.info/world-population/population-by-country/. Accessed 6 Apr.

2020. This article provides a detailed analysis of the economic impact of pipelines.

"What Does Natural Gas Pipeline Cost per Mile." ​Hanging H Co,​

hanginghco.com/natural-gas-pipeline-construction-cost-per-mile/. Accessed 4 Apr. 2020.