( CNN ) -- Opposition to the Keystone XL pipeline , which would move crude oil from the Alberta oil sands in Canada to refineries on the Gulf Coast if approved by President Barack Obama , has long relied on questionable information about our project and the Canadian oil sands . A CNN op-ed by Tom Steyer has made some claims that need to be disputed . He and other opponents insist oil transported by Keystone XL is destined for export . Nothing could be further from the truth . The reality , as TransCanada Corp. CEO Russ Girling has said , is not a drop of the oil transported through Keystone would be exported -- period . When he was asked at a news conference whether Keystone oil would be exported , Girling said : `` Not a chance . Not in my lifetime . I have talked to every one of our customers , both producers and refiners , I 've asked them the question again : 'Do you have any intent of shipping any of this crude oil offshore ? ' And the answer is absolutely not . '' Opponents also say the pipeline is not safe for the environment , but the undeniable reality is the science demonstrating Keystone XL is a safe and environmentally responsible project . The State Department 's final supplemental environmental impact statement is a culmination of more than five years and contains 20,000 pages of analysis , with input from more than two dozen state and federal agencies . The environmental and market issues have been exhaustively reviewed and concerns debunked . The impact statement explicitly states that building Keystone XL is unlikely to significantly impact the rate of extraction in the oil sands based on expected oil prices , oil-sands supply costs , transport costs and supply-demand scenarios . Nor will Keystone XL affect `` the continued demand for heavy crude oil at refineries in the United States ... '' And when it comes to producing heavy crude , the State Department impact statement recognizes that only oil sands production trends downward on carbon intensity . Canada emits just 2 % of global greenhouse gases , and the emissions from oil sands contribute 0.16 % to global emissions . For context , three coal-fired power plants in the United States emit more greenhouse gases than the entire oil sands industry . With regard to rail , the impact statement was abundantly clear that the expansion of rail facilities will be able to transport the capacity of Keystone XL and then some . Nearly 1.2 million barrels per day of rail loading capacity , about 1.5 times the size of Keystone XL , will be available to move Canadian crude oil to markets by the end of 2015 . The latest U.S. Energy Information Agency energy forecast shows the United States will import millions of barrels of oil for decades during its transition to a lower carbon future . The responsible thing to do for the environment , the economy and the public is to build the safest , most efficient infrastructure to transport it . At TransCanada , we 're investing billions of dollars in renewable and emission-less energy sources in North America , including wind , solar , hydro and nuclear power to bring clean energy to millions of homes across the continent . We 're also focused on upgrading U.S. energy infrastructure so that during the transition , the United States can get more of its oil from a trusted ally : Canada . That 's the responsible path forward and why Keystone XL continues to enjoy strong public , congressional , labor and business support -- and why this project continues to be in the United States ' national interest . We urge Obama to give a green light to the Keystone . The opinions expressed in this commentary are solely those of Alexander J. Pourbaix .
Alexander Pourbaix says opponents are wrong on Keystone XL pipeline . He says contrary to what opponents say , `` not a drop '' of Keystone oil will be exported . Pourbaix : The U.S. is the largest exporter in the world and we have been exporting more than 2 million barrels per day for over 20 years now. He says during transition to new energy sources , U.S. should get its oil from a trusted nation .