There is no denying of the great impact the Keystone XL pipeline has to thousands of people including businesses, farms and families. After the much awaited decision by President Barack Obama regarding the proposed project, it was rejected in the end.
The Keystone XL pipeline, if built, would have stretched 2,000 kilometers creating a bridge between Canada and the mid-western part of the United States. The pipeline which is in a star formation would have been able to connect with its southern leg which is already in full operation.
The decision has been considered a victory by many while there are some who are disappointed and fears of what it will mean for the economy. One of the businesses affected is a clothing store owned by Merri Beck which is located exactly where the pipeline will go through to gather American oil. She has expressed how sales in her store decreased by 27 per cent this year alone because of the continued decline in the oil prices.
Her store which is located in the town of Baker, Montana has fewer customers after workers in the oilfield departed the place as soon as the last of the pipeline project was completed. They are also not expecting any new project soon. A coffee shop has already stopped doing business and she is afraid that more will close down.
Beck shares her sadness for her community and expressed her worries with the continued decline of oil prices that the economy in their place would suffer since it depended much on oil. She shared how business is not going well not just for her but for others as well including restaurants, hotels and campers’ spots.
Obama, straight from the White House, made the announcement last Friday and made it clear that the employment opportunity the Keystone XL would have provided is nothing much when compared to the jobs provided in the previous years – amounting to 13.5 million jobs.
The number though is important to the commissioner of Fallon County located also in Montana, Steve Baldwin. The approval of the Keystone XL would have given their town a new water tower as well as new plumbing since most of the buildings there have been build around 1940s to 50s.
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