In a global carbon emissions context, the Keystone XL pipeline is a drop in the bucket. The greenhouse gas emissions generated from developing Canada’s oil sands – 6.8% of total 2010 Canadian GHG emissions – are one piece of a very large global climate puzzle. Tailpipe and power plant emissions are far greater sources of GHG’s.

And apparently Sen. Heidi Heitkamp of North Dakota agrees. Houston Chronicle reporter Jennifer A. Dlouhy quoted the senator today via Twitter as saying:

The Keystone XL pipeline “It’s the Kim Kardashian of carbon. I don’t know why people care.”