Is This The End of New Pipelines?

 

Jordan Silva

Blog 1

Environmental Econ

Dr. Eubanks

 

Is This the End of New Pipelines?

 

            This article talks about numerous different fossil fuel pipelines around the United States and their effect on the people and environment around them. In the United States there is enough pipeline to circle the globe! These pipelines damage waterways and the many animal species that lay in the pipelines path.

Clean energy is becoming more relevant and as of today can be used in a variety of ways that make it superior to fossil fuels. However, “the federal government approved projects and permits without the complete analyses required under environmental laws.” The government is knowingly approving permits without proper analysis. I would assume this probably has to do with lobbying and special interest groups throwing money around to get what they want. The current administration has “vowed to expand America’s oil and gas infrastructure and his administration has pushed to limit the ability of states to challenge pipelines.”

A chief executive of the American Petroleum Institute stated that ““Our nation’s outdated and convoluted permitting rules are opening the door for a barrage of baseless, activist-led litigation, undermining American energy progress and denying local communities the environmental, employment and economic benefits modern pipelines provide.” According to chooseenergy.com, “a successful clean energy transition could generate 65 million new jobs worldwide and result in $26 trillion in financial benefits by 2030.” Jobs will be lost due to clean energy transition but as with every new technology some jobs get lost but many are gained as well, and society as a whole will have a greater benefit from clean energy.

Investment into fossil fuels will decline in the future as cleaner sources of energy will be needed to combat climate change.” Microsoft and Apple wrote a letter to Dominion, a company that backs the Atlantic Coast pipeline,  questioning its plans to build new natural gas power plants in the state, arguing that sources like solar power and battery storage were becoming a viable alternative as their prices fell. And earlier this year, Virginia’s legislature passed a law requiring Dominion to significantly expand its investments in renewable energy.” These two companies are on the right side of the argument. Investment is going to grow substantially in solar power and other sources of clean energy. As demand increases for clean energy alternatives such as solar power or a battery powered Tesla these products should be come cheaper and more affordable for the everyday consumer.  

 

Works Cited

1.      https://www.chooseenergy.com/news/article/report-says-clean-energy-create-65-million-new-jobs.