The Keystone Pipeline

The Keystone Pipeline has been a controversial topic among environmentalists. A large consensus disagree on the construction and have spent lots of effort protesting it. However, the impacts remain vague; the pipeline after all, isn't a coal fired plant, but a steel tube that stretches lots of hundreds of miles from point A to B. There are a few major concerns which will be addressed below.

Concern 1: LEAKS

The major concern against the construction is a leakage. A leakage can spill thousands of gallons of oil and pollute everything. The pipeline will span around 1000 miles and crosses over many landscapes including a very large aquifer. Since the pipeline is very long, it can be difficult to fix and detect. This is a large concern and valid. I think this must be treated as very serious and should be resolved rationally and effectively; big business must not take advantage of your proposal. The proposal consists of:

• A series of emergency shutoff valves placed every 5 miles. These will be robotically operated. In the event of a leak; these can be remotely operated. 
• A series of leak detection systems every 5 miles. These can include robots, machines, valves, and synthetic plastics which fill up gaps. These solutions exist and can be found in any popular science magazines. USE THEM!
• Enforce intense maintenance checkups frequently and propose massive fines to violations are spills. You can also shut down the pipeline if they make a large screw up as a punishment.
• The pipeline must be made out of a pipe inside another one to lower the probability of a leakage.

Just one of the many leak Detection systems

Unfortunately, the protestors are running out of time. Once Trump is elected; there will be likely no compromise, the pipeline will be built and without these leak detection features. Once the Republicans take over congress, the pipeline will be built in a cheap and not necessarily a environmentally friendly way.

Misc Stuff:

A negotiation should occur in which the following are negotiated.

I think that even if the pipeline was banned; the oil would be shipped by rail and this would emit lots of co2 emissions.

I think that we should put solar panels/ windmills on the pipeline just for fun; it would also show that they care. You can also install hydroelectric inside the pipes.

The Oil company should be forced to buy land around the pipeline and give it to the public. This way, the gov't can protect this land for free.

Force the line to be scrapped in 50 years and replaced to a new version to ensure that it meets the current technology and there are no future leakages.

HOW ABOUT A THUMBS UP FOR THIS AWESOME PROPOSAL?