Pipeline offers no benefit to Iowa

To the editor:

Energy Transfer Partners' proposal to build the Dakota Access pipeline through 18 counties and every major watershed in Iowa has had little scrutiny or study. Energy Transfer is a Texan/global interest company. This project will not benefit Iowans and the cost to our water, land and people is too high.

Setting the dangerous precedent of allowing an outside interest the right to take Iowa land though eminent domain is a travesty and does not serve the public good of Iowans. The main issues are damage to our farmlands and our water supply. Nitrates and other toxins have made clean and safe municipal water a challenge. If we allow the potential of chemical laden crude oil spills to seep into our many streams and rivers and ruin our farmland, what will be left? The temporary financial gain to a few individuals will not offset the likely damage from spills and leaks.

If the Bakken fracking operations in North Dakota and Montana have shown us anything, it is that the temporary increase of employment is usually not a lasting phenomenon and the social and economic costs are high. I have seen this happen in Texas after hurricanes and in other boom and bust situations. It wreaks havoc on the communities they descend on and they leave as quickly as they came, usually leaving indebtedness and other consequences. We will be left holding the bag for the cleanup long after those who have profited from this proposal have left our state.

Gina D. Osburn

Guttenberg