Citizens must stand up to oil industry

In response to Elisabeth Robbins' letter (“Proposed oil pipeline would harm U.S.,” Oct. 27), concerning the Keystone XL pipeline not reducing gasoline prices. I could not agree more with the writer's thoughts.

The simple fact is that the oil industry is advertising false and misleading information that is implying, if not stating factually, that this tar sands oil will be used solely by the U.S. consumers.

Oil is a commodity that enters into the supply chain on a worldwide level, which may have some minor impact on oil prices. The problem here is we are past the point of having a peak oil supply and now are forced to go to extreme measures to reach the very limited remaining oil supplies.

With the emerging energy needs of countries such as China, the idea that piping dirty and highly corrosive oil from strip mining operations in Northern Alberta, Canada, across the Ogallala Aquifer (the water source to millions and our country's bread basket) to the Foreign Trade Zone in Port Arthur, Texas, to then be sent out to the world markets will somehow make any sort of a real difference on gasoline prices is simply wrong.

We as citizens must stand up to the billions of dollars that the oil industry is throwing into advertising telling us to continue using fossil fuels and say enough.

This is the United States of America. In the United States, we look to the future with new and innovative technologies that the world admires.

Bill Ferrel

President

Agape Sustainability

Advisors Coralville