Maine Senate OKs Keystone Pipeline Resolution Ahead of Obama Visit

Today the Maine senate approved a resolution that urges President Obama and Congress to support the controversial Keystone XL oil pipeline. The project would link crude oil from tar sands in Canada to refineries in the midwest and Texas. Supporters of the project say it will lower gas and oil prices. Opponents say it’s a environmental disaster in the making.

The debate on the senate floor today, some legislators said, was more about politics than ABOUT the pipeline.

The resolution is non-binding. But its purpose is to give an opinion on an issue that can’t be voted on – such as the Keystone Pipeline. That project falls under the jurisdiction of Congress and the White House. And it’s precisely that reason that had some senators questioning the purpose of the resolution in the first place.

“It does seem to be the silly season,” said Democratic Senator Troy Jackson of Aroostook county.

“This pipeline thing, while it may be good, I don’t really understand how Maine weighing in is going to make any one difference to the people who are going to decide this,” Jackson said. I think they’ll probably laugh, “Oh yeah Maine- they’re going to get a real bang out of this.” But if we’re going to do a resolution, let’s do one that’s gonna help the state.”

With the Keystone pipeline pumping in oil through west and midwestern states, many senators questioned why Maine was poking its nose in their business. They asked, why not take up more Maine-centric resolutions like energy efficiency or LIHEAP funds. But Republican Senator Debra Plowman of Penobscot County says Maine has every reason to have a voice in the Keystone Pipeline.

“I gotta tell you the people of Maine are the people of the United States. We’re not separate on our energy dependence. We are one. Our national debt and our energy dependence is crippling us,” said Plowman.

She said that if more oil flows into the U.S., not only will fuel prices go down, but the project will create 120,000 jobs nationwide and generate 20 billion dollars in economic growth. But Democratic Senator Cynthia Dill of Cumberland County says there’s no evidence the pipeline would lower energy costs – it’s dependent on the global market. And as for jobs.

“This particular resolution does nothing to create jobs in the state of Maine, and further helps an industry that already receives 4 billion dollars in tax subsidies,” said Dill. “It opens the window for a project that will have severe negative impacts on the state.”

Some worry that if the pipeline is approved, it won’t be long before Maine becomes part of the pipeline network, wreaking potential environmental catastrophe through oil spills and contamination. But the sponsor of the resolution, Republican Senator John Courtney, says it’s time to control our own destiny.

“But our own destiny hasn’t been controlled,” Courtney said. “It’s been giving out big money to companies. We talk about subsidies – what about Solyndra? What about some of these things that have happened the past few years where people in the energy business are lining their own pockets at the expense of people on Main Street?”

Courtney cited gas prices nearing four dollars a gallon, and said that president Obama turned his back on Maine when he reduced LIHEAP funds. Courtney is urging Mainers to express their disappointment when the President visits Maine on Friday. But democrat troy jackson says its just politics.

“Let’s talk about what’s actually driving this, and that’s speculation on Wall Street,” said Jackson. “And we don’t wanna talk about that – we want to drive it, hang it around president Obama’s neck. Well, that’s fine, but let’s talk about how that happened under other administrations too.”

Jackson said, in his eyes, the resolution is meaningless. There’s not enough information to know what benefits Maine would see from the Keystone Pipeline.

And while I certainly can support giving jobs to people in other states, I don’t have a problem with that but I’m not gonna go out and say we just did something helpful to lower the cost of gas in Maine because we’re certainly not doing that. This is more appropriate for the Keystone Cops.

The resolution passed 17 to 15 in the senate. The house will take it up Friday.

http://www.mpbn.net/Home/tabid/36/ctl/ViewItem/mid/3478/ItemId/21100/Default.aspx