TOPEKA – Gov. Sam Brownback expressed his support for the controversial Keystone XL pipeline Monday at a hearing in Topeka. Brownback said allowing the pipeline to transport oil from tar sands mined in Canada to Gulf refineries would create jobs in Kansas. An oil refinery in McPherson would also use oil from the oil sands to produce the fuel for Kansas customers, assuring a reliable source of petroleum, he said. The Canadian company that owns the pipeline and will mine the tar sands rebuilt that part of the pipeline in Kansas but also need to build other segments. The federal government has been holding a series of public hearings along the pipeline route about whether the U.S. should issue a permit allowing the pipeline to carry tar-sand oil. That has prompted fierce protests and included demonstations in Topeka Monday. Critics say the environmental impacts of the oil sand operation will be catastrophic and would be far worse than any jobs created – and they say job estimates have been wildly inflated. They also say that little of the oil will be used in the U.S. and will be exported overseas from the Gulf refineries.
Tuesday, Septl. 27, 8 a.m.
