The Ogallala Aquifer in Nebraska is the source of some of the most clean, abundant groundwater that can be found on earth, but residents are afraid the pristine water will be compromised by the Keystone XL pipeline. The proposed pipeline would be buried four feet underground and would carry 700,000 barrels of viscous oil per day from the tar-sand region of Canada through Nebraska to refineries on the Gulf Coast. Opponents fear oil leaks that could end up contaminating the aquifer with benzene and other toxic chemicals.
Jim Goeke, a prominent expert in the field of hydrogeology, agrees with the analysis provided by TransCanada that any leaks would have only minor, localized impact and would not affect the drinking water for the area. He believes that concerns about water contamination are overblown.
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