This is from a post by Willis Eschenbach, Bodega Bay. He reports that the train with a load of crude oil that derailed and caught fire in Lac-Mégantic, Canada, didn't derail from overspeed or failed brakes or a crash or the usual stuff, but took off on its own. In terms of safety in moving crude oil, railroads are safer than highways, but less safe than tanker ships. Pipelines are the safest.
"There is a proposed expansion of the KeystoneXL Pipeline, to handle an increased amount of heavy crude from Alberta. Opponents of the expansion think that stopping the pipeline expansion will somehow stop the flow of Canadian heavy crude into the US. This is not true for two reasons.
"First, the existing Keystone pipeline is already bringing Alberta heavy crude into the US. The expansion will just, well, expand that amount.
"More to the point, however, is the fact that large amounts of Alberta heavy crude is also being moved into the US by railroad. And not by just any railroad. It’s mostly coming in on the Burlington Northern Railway.
"And by what can only be considered an amazing coincidence, the Burlington Northern Railway is owned by a major Obama donor. And by an even more amazing coincidence, the major donor bought the BNR just three years ago.
"And this was not just any major Obama donor, but Mr. Warren Buffett, a key money supplier for the Obama re-election effort."
This link is to Willis' complete post.
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This Canadian crude is going to market, pipeline or no. If Obama panders to environmentalists and blocks the Keystone, it's transport will be more hazardous and expensive and increase, not decrease, atmospheric CO2. Only plants will benefit.
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