Hansen to testify next week on KXL

I’m pretty sure we already know what he is going to say. Readers are welcome to make their predictions in comments.

Keystone XL and the National Interest Determination

U.S. Senate Committee on Foreign Relations

Presiding:Senator Menendez

Date:Thursday, March 13, 2014

Time:11:15 AM

Location:Dirksen 419

Webcast:

This hearing is scheduled to be live webcast. Please return to this page to view the hearing live at the specified date and time.

Panel One

The Honorable Karen Harbert

President and CEO

Institute for 21st Century Energy, U.S. Chamber of Commerce

Washington, DC

Dr. James Hansen

Director of the Program on Climate Science, Awareness and Solutions

Adjunct Professer, Columbia University Earth Institute

New York, NY

Mr. Michael Brune

Executive Director

Sierra Club

San Francisco, CA

General James L. Jones, Jr. USMC (Ret.)

President

Jones Group International

Washington, DC

Source: http://www.foreign.senate.gov/hearings/031314am

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March 7, 2014 5:54 pm

Perhaps Hansen will open all the windows and turn off the heat to the Senate hearing room so attendees can feel the full effect of global warming.

March 7, 2014 5:55 pm

Will he invoke “For The Children”? It would seem to be about all he has left

Mike Bromley the Kurd
March 7, 2014 5:56 pm

This is a one-sided strutting-out of an old tired dogma. Why do they need it? So they can feel all warm and fuzzy about their indecision?

March 7, 2014 5:58 pm

What makes an expert on the Keystone pipeline? He’s an astronomer.

Bob
March 7, 2014 6:05 pm

I see that Michael Brune is going to testify. Here is what he had to say about Steven Donzinger, of the fraudulent Ecuadorean environmental lawsuit. One of the Senators should remind him of this.
“I have tremendous professional respect for Steven,” says Michael Brune, executive director of the Sierra Club. “He is the driving force behind what’s probably the most important environmental lawsuit in the world seeking to hold an oil company accountable for its actions.”
http://www.breitbart.com/Breitbart-London/2014/03/06/Chevrongate-capitalism-finally-grows-a-pair-in-the-war-on-Big-Green

Paul Coppin
March 7, 2014 6:07 pm

Nobody on that panel is an expert on a pipeline, with the possible exception that one or two of them might have tried to surf one in Oahu several years ago, between bong hits.

Otter (ClimateOtter on Twitter)
March 7, 2014 6:12 pm

‘WE’RE ALL GONNA DIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIEEEEEEEEEEEEEE!’
‘Go nuclear.’

James the Elder
March 7, 2014 6:13 pm

A Marine? An effing MARINE!!!!!? The boys (and girls) getting defective equipment, fewer hot meals, having their after-service benefits cut and being thrown out and forgotten when their usefulness is over, and this Marine is testifying on a pipeline? If he doesn’t stand and demand KXL be fast-tracked, can we retroactively bust him to private?

clipe
March 7, 2014 6:17 pm
Mop
March 7, 2014 6:26 pm

For a mere 10 million dollars I will endorse the pipeline.

Mohatdebos
March 7, 2014 6:29 pm

Several comments:
The deck is not stacked. The Chamber and General Jones are strong supporters of KXL.
For once, I hope the Accuweather forecast is correct for Washington. Accuweather is forecasting that March 13 will be the coldest day of the week in Washington — high of 41F with rain and snow. I believe the average for Washington is around 60F at this time of the year.

March 7, 2014 6:32 pm

II find it morbidly amusing to consider that Hansen is putting himself in the position of advocating the continued use of “death trains” for fuel transport.

bushbunny
March 7, 2014 6:35 pm

When Hansen came to Australia a few years ago, he was promoting nuclear for Australia as clean energy didn’t work. I am not sure if he will continue this theme. Considering the Japanese tsunami and aftermath.

March 7, 2014 6:37 pm

He will reveal that the pipeline will cause the oceans to boil.
The media will report this revelation as gospel.

Betapug
March 7, 2014 6:43 pm


Perhaps someone can turn off the heating for Hansen’s sake?

Mohatdebos
March 7, 2014 6:47 pm

Now that would be appropriate!

March 7, 2014 6:50 pm

Hanson and Brune will attack the pipeline. Bruce wrote a book basically breaking the US need for oil.
Harbert will come across more as policy, probably neutral as to the need for the pipeline
The General will have the MOST polished answers but he left his Nat. Security over disagreeing in policy of Iran. He will come from strategic importance and if there was a war on this wouldn’t be debated.
We need to remember Shell shelled out billions for Arctic exploration and got no where with Berry. At the same time Berry wanted to quit the Iran atomic energy proliferation talks so as to put Iranian oil on the market.
France stepped in for they are. fully aware of the underground nuclear proliferation of hardware and know how and France has more experience at it than Berry. Kerry is well minded, but like Clinton is handcuffed three steps from the keys to good diplomacy.
So all in all, three of the four are worthless and the general is the one to watch. But the Democrats know that. So watch to see how many Qs he gets.
Of final note, the switch board on man,made global warming has light up during some 32 winter storms, growing Arctic Ice and growing Glaciers in Europe. So why?
The question goes back to Berry’s handlers and what they were to gain in Copenhagen in 2009 with the gift of The Nobel Peace Prize. He could have approved this week’s ago with State Dept. Blessings
All our big trucks are built in Mexico less Volvo in Virginia. Why the big push for truck fuel efficiency and then a trade trip to Mexico the next day by Berry? What’s up.. is this some type of pen and phone diplomacy before he leaves office?
Berry has crushed just aBout every way the US makes money. What is his final ball on to pop?

Gail Combs
March 7, 2014 6:58 pm

Perhaps the power systems engineers on the East Coast could have a bit of a problem balancing all that Big Green Slime™ Energy and fumble the ball about the time Hansen is testifying. /sarc

James the Elder
March 7, 2014 6:58 pm

General James L. Jones, USMC (ret.) is a BPC senior fellow, and he co-chairs its Energy Project and Task Force on Defense Budget and Strategy. Jones served as Commander, United States European Command and Supreme Allied Commander Europe (SACEUR) from 2003 to 2006. Previously, he was the 32nd Commandant of the Marine Corps from July 1999 to January 2003. Jones retired from active duty in February 2007, after more than 40 years of service. At the request of Congress, Jones chaired the Independent Commission on the Security Forces of Iraq. In November of 2007, General Jones was named Special Envoy for Middle East Security by the Department of State. In January 2009, he assumed the post of National Security Advisor to President Obama and served in that position until November 2010.
The Middle East thing doesn’t seem to be a resume’ enhancer, nor does the White House appointment.. And the Chamber of Commerce has lately been little more than a shill. Remains to be seen.

James the Elder
March 7, 2014 6:59 pm

Forgot; lifted from BPC’s website.

Chad Wozniak
March 7, 2014 7:27 pm

Someone should show Hansen and those other alarmist yo-yos the video of the Lac Megantic oil train crash, and rub their noses in it good. Then ask them if they’re willing to pay for poor people’s gasoline out of their own pockets when the pipeline is disapproved and the price goes to $6 – $8 – $10 a gallon.

hunter
March 7, 2014 7:35 pm

He will speak, but his voice will garbled, as is the problem with sock puppets worldwide. If he is transparent, he will admit that there is no rational case against the KXL. Instead there is a paid for protest movement- an astroturf movement- by those who wish to harm America’s energy future by misleading people about climate and enviro impacts of the KXL.
I would ask Dr. Hansen, under oath, if he is paid to push his testimony.

March 7, 2014 7:58 pm

In Science Magazine, Marcia McNutt, Editor-in-Chief of Science. answered this scientific question in the 21 February 2014 edition with an editorial. She supports KXL. Her reasons are here:
http://www.sciencemag.org/content/343/6173/815.summary?
If, (Big IF) Dr. Hansen is an honest Scientist, he will echo Dr McNutt’s Op-Ed on KXL from Science, 21 Feb 2014.

ferdberple
March 7, 2014 8:12 pm

Why bother with KXL? The US can always get its oil from OPEC and the Middle East. After all, folks in the middle east love the US. If there is a crisis, they will be sure to help. Canada’s oil is dirty, washed in a sea of CO2. The oil from the middle east is clean, washed in a sea of blood and patriotism. The US leadership will always look out for the interests of the common man and woman, no matter what sacrifices are necessary. God bless America.

Joe R
March 7, 2014 8:13 pm

“By the year 2020, Nebraska will be under 30 feet of water after the polar ice caps melt.”

Lil Fella from OZ
March 7, 2014 8:24 pm

Same old ….. same old. The trouble is people swallow it as to invent NEW CLIMATE.

DD More
March 7, 2014 8:26 pm

Hey General, will you try to kill the pipeline to jack the price up on oil delivered just to make your decisions on military biofuels at $26 to $400 per gallon look good?

March 7, 2014 8:27 pm

Anto
March 7, 2014 8:35 pm

lancifer666
March 7, 2014 8:55 pm

Well, since James Hansen said Obama only had four years to save the planet, back on January 17th 2009, he should just weep uncontrollably and crawl into a hole.

March 7, 2014 9:21 pm

Anto says:
March 7, 2014 at 8:35 pm
Touche!

March 7, 2014 9:47 pm

Merely considering the KXL has caused an epic drought.
Its for the children.
Untold environmental damage.
Oil industry subsidized by taxpayers.

March 7, 2014 9:56 pm

Presiding:Senator Menendez,
Is it any wonder, this guy is presiding? He loves Global warming and tropical climates!

Mac the Knife
March 7, 2014 10:57 pm

Hansen testifying about the KXL oil pipe line is like a kidnapper testifying about what duct tape he uses to bind and gag his victims.

ilearnedthatinhighschool
March 7, 2014 11:19 pm

Who is on Panel Two? The link has nothing on who is on Panel Two.

Greg
March 8, 2014 12:18 am

I predict he will be quoting the fictitious 2 million “comments”.
I suggest some one primes the appropriate members of the senate committee to ask for audited proof of the number of comments and what measures were taken to avoid the same people posting many comments using the same or different names.

Ed Zuiderwijk
March 8, 2014 12:31 am

@ Dave. March 7, 2014 at 5:58 pm
A scientist who has become an activist ceases to be a scientist, even if he was once an astronomer.

Ed Zuiderwijk
March 8, 2014 12:36 am

It will be along the lines of:
Hot is cold and cold is hot, freedom is slavery, war is peace and ignorance is strength.

March 8, 2014 12:46 am

I don’t make forecasts on what people do… they’re too predictable.

March 8, 2014 12:47 am

“The possibility consequently exists that at perhaps precisely the right moment near the end-Holocene, the latest iteration of the genus Homo unwittingly stumbled on the correct atmospheric GHG recipe to perhaps ease or delay the transition into the next glacial. Under the antithesis “Skeptics” and “Warmists” thus find themselves on the mutual, chaotic climate ground where the efficacy of CO2 as a GHG had better be right. ”
http://wattsupwiththat.com/2010/12/30/the-antithesis/

Scarface
March 8, 2014 2:01 am

He will find a way to say no, in some kind of dramatic way like one of these:

Peter Miller
March 8, 2014 2:10 am

As Hansen has an ego the size of a football stadium, he is certain to say a lot of outrageous stuff, if he gets really cranky he might advocate a full US nuclear strike against Canada’s tar sands to get rid of the problem forever.

Mike Ozanne
March 8, 2014 2:23 am

At 2 minutes 34 into his testimony, Tyra Banks bursts through his skin like an alien embryo and lays into the committee chairman….

Tim
March 8, 2014 3:33 am

Surely these decisions are made by economists, engineers and politicians. What has a partisan eco-warrior got to do with it, anyway?

Erik Christensen
March 8, 2014 4:37 am

Will he show a picture of his grand children? – I just love when he do that

hunter
March 8, 2014 4:40 am

It would be great and appropriate for a Senator to go after Brune, and his backing of the criminal conspiracy against Chevron by big green. He should be asked why should he be considered to be any more accurate in his claims against the KXL than he was in supporting the anti-Chevron scam, And, by the way, did he personally profit from or participate in anyway, or his organization, in the anti-Chevron conspiracy?

Bruce Cobb
March 8, 2014 5:01 am

I’m pretty sure it will involve the planet Venus.

Peter Wiseman
March 8, 2014 5:01 am

Not too warm and not too cold would be nice. Kinda average, but warmer in winter and cooler in summer, but only on hot days or cold days if you know what I mean.

Steve from Rockwood
March 8, 2014 5:40 am

Our grandchildren just aren’t going to know what oil is…

John Norris
March 8, 2014 5:42 am

Surely he is going there to apologize for overestimating the amount of warming and for his inability and his former GISS coworkers inability to anticipate the pause.
Oh, and he’ll apologize for that poorly written ForTran code, and the belated release of it, and his rude comments upon release of it. And he’ll apologize for not recognizing Steve McIntyre for finding problems with his results, And for calling Steve and others names like ‘court jesters’ when they didn’t let him get away with his errors.
Okay, I’ll stop there.

beng
March 8, 2014 5:46 am

He’ll testify that the pipeline will be a “gas-pipe of death”.

March 8, 2014 5:54 am

A dilemma for Hansen. Does he support death trains (BNSF) or death pipes?

Gamecock
March 8, 2014 5:58 am

Mike Bromley the Kurd says:
March 7, 2014 at 5:56 pm
This is a one-sided strutting-out of an old tired dogma. Why do they need it? So they can feel all warm and fuzzy about their indecision?
===================================
Tim says:
March 8, 2014 at 3:33 am
Surely these decisions are made by economists, engineers and politicians. What has a partisan eco-warrior got to do with it, anyway?
====================================
People, there is no indecision. The decision was made in January, 2012.

Spruance
March 8, 2014 6:21 am

He will probably say: “I know I said that we are all doomed, but actually it’s worse – we are all doomed twice!”

nigelf
March 8, 2014 6:31 am

If he pulls out the “death trains” card I hope someone demands a response from the ADL.

Mike Ozanne
March 8, 2014 6:32 am

“I’m pretty sure it will involve the planet Venus.”
I’m putting money on Uranus…..

March 8, 2014 6:37 am

I think he’ll say that if we bring back the Nucleon we won’t need a pipeline.

Alan Robertson
March 8, 2014 6:51 am

What, no Daryl Hannah? She would remind the Senate committee that Keystone XL would transport “dirty oil”.

jones
March 8, 2014 7:02 am

It’s a death pipeline….

Robert of Ottawa
March 8, 2014 7:17 am

I bet there will be a reference to Warren Buffet’s “Tar trains of death” … NOT!

March 8, 2014 7:17 am

James Hansen: “Dear Dupes and Suckers. I own railway stock. Millions of barrels of flammable oil are now travelling all over the USA and Canada thanks to stupid anti-pipeline protesters. Thanks for making me and Warren Buffett rich.”

Steve Keohane
March 8, 2014 8:16 am

The heat is hiding in the pipeline that isn’t built yet, just wait!

Pete of Perth
March 8, 2014 8:42 am

This time Hansens preparation will include a carton of tinned beans, a can opener and a training video;
[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3B5Jnho8dTc]

Global cooling
March 8, 2014 8:52 am

Hansen testifies: “We have now started to program a new generation of computer models in which the climate sensitivity is negative. Earth is going towards the next ice age if you don’t grant us more tax money to continue our work.”

Robert Wykoff
March 8, 2014 9:57 am

Wasn’t it Hansen that said major New York highways should be underwater by now? Someone should show up with a photo of the clearly dry highways, or perhaps the highways covered in snow would be better.

March 8, 2014 10:24 am

I think they should include a CO2 monitor in the room to show the PPM. I have measured conference rooms over 1,200PPM. (Could also close the outside air dampers….)
Many workers spend ~2,500hrs a year in their offices with concentrations around 700PPM plus.

Peterkar
March 8, 2014 10:53 am
george e. conant
March 8, 2014 11:01 am

I attended a presentation by Dr. Hanson in Millbrook NY a few years ago. The first thing he said was… ” I am not discussing Climate-gate today. ” then went on to show slides of his grandchildren, then lots of graph’s with arrows and circles. Pictures of the earth with lots of red blotches on it. Basically told us all that the only way to stop CAGW was to stop using fossil fuels and the way to do that is make it too expensive to use by taxing the heck out of oil and coal. I imagine this will be similar to what he will say in testimony….. yawn

Hot under the collar
March 8, 2014 12:55 pm

Maybe he will open some empty boxes and accuse ‘skeptics funded by big oil’ of stealing his petitions. ; >)

LadyLifeGrows
March 8, 2014 2:15 pm

I have no idea what he will say. I have been living under a rock the last 30 years

Matt in Dallas (formerly Houston)
March 8, 2014 6:10 pm

All of the folks I worked with at jsc couldn’t stand J. HANSEN. We all thought he was a scoundrel. So I will say that I am fairly certain that he will predict kxl to be a catastrophic construction.
He is bureaucratic trash. Science is so far gone from him that a black hole could not vacuum it up.

Yes I have a nmae
March 9, 2014 4:18 am

We could always play “bullshit bingo”. Create a new card here : http://www.bullshitbingo.net/

Brian H
March 9, 2014 3:19 pm

“bureaucratic trash” — we have a winner!

March 10, 2014 4:45 pm

The SKY is FALLING. The SKY is FALLING.

bushbunny
March 10, 2014 9:07 pm

Go nuclear DC. Hansen reckoned that clean energy didn’t work. Who is he being sponsored by now?