I knew it was coming, but I didn't want to admit to myself that it was coming and in truth I was not a fan of Keystone for different reasons than you imagine.
Yesterday, Mr. Biden signed an executive order stopping the Keystone Pipeline. And while I would like the oil from the sand in Canada to flow into the area, again, I have mixed emotions about it.
Something has to be done about the environment. I don't know what. I know many of you don't want to face up to the fact that something is wrong with the weather, but the hurricanes we've had in the last 15 years should tell you something ain't right.
I also am not a fan of Keystone as we own land in Franklin County, Texas, where the Keystone Pipeline came through. While pipelines have the ability to cut through property, they were first class assholes about it. We already have a pipeline( different company than Keystone's) going through our back property and to be honest, they are actually fairly nice about honoring our property rights. They even took care of tree damage after a tornado we had on our property, on property they did not have to take care of.
Talk to any farmer/rancher in the county and Keystone and you'll get a cussing.
On the other side of the coin I live in Southeast Texas in which we are a ' One Trick Pony' as far as industry is concerned. Oil and gas refining/Chemical Plants.
Say what you want, Keystone would have been good for the plants.
Also, say what you want, peak oil/ gas industry is probably over.
Oh, there will always be a need for by-products from oil. And gasoline, diesel is not going to disappear overnight, but we are headed that way.
The vast majority of my ex-students are in some sort of oil/gas related field, and 20 years from now, will these jobs still exist? How many will be lost to changes in new energy sources and how many will be lost to automation is yet to be seen, but they are coming.
Again, we are a one trick pony. Oil.
Coal never thought their industry would end. Coal is dying, and dying more and more by the year.
People don't move here for the "lifestyle" or the view or anything else. I expect when the U.S. Census comes out either we will have lost people or have not, by a long-shot the population grown of the rest of the State of Texas. I am not going to be shocked if we lose a U.S. Congressman or a Texas State Representative.
There is no reason for people to move here. What is the attraction? The heat, humidity, mosquitoes and hurricanes?
A lot of people who I taught got the hell out of here. My kids are not coming back.
And don't think it won't get that bad. I remember when Texaco ( Now Motiva) had a massive lay-off in the 1980s. It killed Port Arthur. Port Arthur was not always like it is today. Gulfway Drive had all sort of nice businesses, wonderful restaurants. My favorite restaurant in the 1970s was a place called Leo and Willie's. Classy place. Now you are taking your life into your own hands if you travel south of HWY. 73 into Port Arthur.
I sort of blame our local politicians. Instead of looking at other areas of business to bring in, they are stuck in that one industry. So many politicians either don't "get it" or are in it for their on personal gain.
And I wonder about the long term.
And to be honest, it doesn't look good.
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