Free Republic
Browse · Search
News/Activism
Topics · Post Article

Skip to comments.

Keystone pipeline clears hurdle
The Hill ^

Posted on 01/31/2014 1:53:51 PM PST by Sub-Driver

January 31, 2014, 03:09 pm Keystone pipeline clears hurdle

By Laura Barron-Lopez

The controversial Keystone XL pipeline cleared a major hurdle on Friday as the State Department ruled the project wouldn’t significantly increase greenhouse gas emissions.

The finding puts the pipeline one step closer to approval, and sets up a new battle between environmental groups and oil companies over whether the project is in the national interest.

The Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) on the project reiterates key parts of a draft analysis released early last year, finding that oil sands extraction would continue regardless of whether the pipeline is built.

"Approval or denial of any one crude oil transport project, including the proposed Project, is unlikely to significantly impact the rate of extraction in the oil sands or the continued demand for heavy crude oil at refineries in the United States based on expected oil prices, oil-sands supply costs, transport costs, and supply-demand scenarios," the report said.

The finding could be crucial, as President Obama has said he would only approve the pipeline if he was convinced it would not "significantly exacerbate carbon emissions."

The release marks the end of a five-year lobbying battle over the report on the environmental impact of Keystone, a project of TransCanada Corp. that would carry oil sands from Alberta to the Gulf Coast.

The oil industry hailed State's findings, arguing they should lay to rest concerns about the pipeline.

"Five years, five federal reviews, dozens of public meetings, over a million comments and one conclusion ─ the Keystone XL pipeline is safe for the environment," said Jack Gerard, president and CEO of the American Petroleum Institute.

"This final review puts to rest any credible concerns about the pipeline's potential negative impact on the environment. This long awaited project should now be swiftly approved. It's time to put thousands of Americans to work.”

Speaker John Boehner (R-Ohio), a Keystone backer, said Obama is "out of excuses."

“If President Obama wants to make this a ‘year of action’ he will stand up to the extreme Left in his own party, stand with the overwhelming majority of American people, and approve this critical project,” Boehner said in a statement.

But green groups, which are waging a national campaign to stop the pipeline, said the report bolsters their case by acknowledging that the pipeline could worsen climate change.

“Even though the State Department continues to downplay clear evidence that the Keystone XL pipeline would lead to tar sands expansion and significantly worsen carbon pollution, it has, for the first time, acknowledged that the proposed project could accelerate climate change," said Susan Casey-Lefkowitz of the Natural Resources Defense Council.

Liberals in Congress made a similar argument.

“While still flawed, this environmental review recognizes that the Keystone XL tar sands pipeline could have a significant effect on carbon pollution, depending on variables such as oil prices and transportation costs,” said Rep. Henry Waxman (D-Calif.).

“Keystone XL is the oil industry’s number one priority because it is critical to their plans to triple production of tar sands, the most carbon-polluting oil on the planet.”

Obama has made clear he will have the final say over whether the project goes forward, and is under intense pressure from green groups to reject it ahead of the midterm elections.

But Republicans, oil industry groups, the Canadian government, unions and some Democratic lawmakers are pushing Obama to approve the project, arguing it would create jobs and boost the economy.

Before the decision reaches Obama's desk, there will be an interagency review, lasting roughly 90 days, where administration officials will determine whether Keystone XL is in the nation's best interest.

In addition, State's Office of Inspector General is compiling a report into possible conflicts of interests with a contractor that worked on the environmental impact statement.

Environmentalists say the entire process was compromised, and are awaiting two separate reports into the matter that the IG office plans to release in early 2014.

On a call with reporters on Friday, State official Kerri Ann Jones said that she is confident the final environmental review followed procedures and was not tainted by a conflict of interest.

Jones said Secretary of State John Kerry will weigh the analysis against global markets, the country's energy security goals and broader national and international efforts to fight climate change.

She wouldn't commit to a hard timeline on when Kerry would make his determination on Keystone XL.

"It important for us to move forward in our process, and we wanted to get this document out and keep moving,” Jones said.

Still, some lawmakers who support Keystone are concerned Obama will find a way to delay the process again.

"The report is vague and provides no timeline for a final decision, giving the president broad room to postpone a decision further," said Sen. John Hoeven (R-N.D.) in a statement. "That would be consistent with his tactic over the past five years of trying to defeat the project through bureaucratic delay and deferral."

— This story was updated at 4:34 p.m.


TOPICS: Business/Economy; Canada; Front Page News; Israel; News/Current Events; US: California; US: North Dakota; US: Ohio
KEYWORDS: california; canada; henrywaxman; israel; johnboehner; johnhoeven; keystone; keystonepipeline; keystonexl; lurch; ndrc; northdakota; ohio; opec; pipelinereport; statedept
Navigation: use the links below to view more comments.
first previous 1-2021-31 last
To: AdmSmith; AnonymousConservative; Berosus; bigheadfred; Bockscar; cardinal4; ColdOne; ...
Speaker John Boehner (R-Ohio), a Keystone backer, said Obama is "out of excuses." “If President Obama wants to make this a ‘year of action’ he will stand up to the extreme Left in his own party, stand with the overwhelming majority of American people, and approve this critical project,” Boehner said in a statement... "The report is vague and provides no timeline for a final decision, giving the president broad room to postpone a decision further," said Sen. John Hoeven (R-N.D.) in a statement. "That would be consistent with his tactic over the past five years of trying to defeat the project through bureaucratic delay and deferral."
Thanks Sub-Driver.
21 posted on 01/31/2014 4:32:47 PM PST by SunkenCiv (http://www.freerepublic.com/~mestamachine/)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | View Replies]

To: Sub-Driver

In addition, State’s Office of Inspector General is compiling a report into possible conflicts of interests with a contractor that worked on the Health care website.

Headlines you’ll never see...


22 posted on 01/31/2014 4:37:48 PM PST by tet68 ( " We would not die in that man's company, that fears his fellowship to die with us...." Henry V.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Sub-Driver
the State Department ruled

America isn't supposed to be ruled by executive department.

23 posted on 01/31/2014 7:04:17 PM PST by 1010RD (First, Do No Harm)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Sub-Driver

The undocumented Tyrant: Does it delay jobs and hurt g-damn Americans?

Czars: Yes, Master.

The undocumented Tyrant: Then do it.


24 posted on 02/01/2014 2:42:20 AM PST by Diogenesis
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Da Bilge Troll

Maybe that Dakota rail oil explosion/fire last month pushed this along. They put a volcanos worth of pollution into the atmosphere with that one ...caused by ground transportation. Buffet’s I believe


25 posted on 02/01/2014 5:11:50 AM PST by chiller (NBCNews et al is in the tank and should be embarrassed)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 14 | View Replies]

To: IronJack

We should be understanding that the State Department runs much of the country. Thats what attracts presidential wannabes like Clinton and Kerry

Pres administrations come and go but State dept bureaucrats remain


26 posted on 02/01/2014 5:18:02 AM PST by chiller (NBCNews et al is in the tank and should be embarrassed)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 17 | View Replies]

To: Sub-Driver
No hurdle was cleared. The pipeline was released from the trap within a trap within a cage.

It must now be released by the secretary of state who is otherwise involved in bringing peace to the world.

Peace of course has priority

27 posted on 02/01/2014 5:27:54 AM PST by bert ((K.E. N.P. N.C. +12 ..... History is a process, not an event)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Sub-Driver
The left are working to deceive the 1/3 of Americans who care little about anything outside of their own lives and monies and continue to vote for those who rob and destroy what should have belonged to their children.
We have natural gas and oils and nuclear power generation that the left hates while they indoctrinate the stupid and vain into believing obvious lies and empty promises. I hear them on moron trivia and it seems the left has the children lost in space.
May the good LORD and Saviour Jesus come back to this increasingly evil and deceived world of lost sinners as we see how evil men and seducers are growing worse and worse and deceiving and being deceived and fighting against the God of Israel and all His children created in Christ Jesus.
Greenhouse gas, global warming, evolution and the deceivers of DC and leftists unmitigated hatred be damned for the evil they do to those who know their lies and to the next deceived generation of indoctrinated government school victims.
28 posted on 02/01/2014 6:16:46 AM PST by kindred (Conservative third party as free America is dead, the golden goose has been stabbed to many times)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: SunkenCiv

He ain’t standing up to the “extreme left of his party.” HE IS THE EXTREME LEFT OF HIS PARTY. There is no party on their side. He is a dictator. Dictators do not have parties. That would mean sharing the limelight, decision making, etc. Nope. He is a dictator in the form of his buddy Castro, his dead idol, the idiot commie from Venezuela. Now that that fool is worm food, Obama sees himself as this hemisphere’s lone total Communist Dictator. Castro has one foot in the grave and does not make many decisions these days, bro Raul does. Nope. Obama has his eyes focused on total dictatorship. If somehow he could keep the Senate and steal the House, he would move to freeze them out and take total control. Who is to stop him? All he has to do is threaten to cut off the free money supply and everyone will tell him to go right on doing what he is doing, just keep the free money and stuff coming. This Republic is no longer a Free Republic. It is now a socialist dictatorship.


29 posted on 02/01/2014 9:38:25 AM PST by RetiredArmy (All that call upon His name shall be saved! HE is the ONLY way to heaven. Only HIM!!)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 21 | View Replies]

To: RetiredArmy

Zero’s a socialist the same way Nasser was, iow, also a muzzie.


30 posted on 02/01/2014 6:11:10 PM PST by SunkenCiv (http://www.freerepublic.com/~mestamachine/)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 29 | View Replies]

To: NorthMountain
They are. Just wait.
31 posted on 02/03/2014 6:26:00 PM PST by hinckley buzzard
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 19 | View Replies]


Navigation: use the links below to view more comments.
first previous 1-2021-31 last

Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.

Free Republic
Browse · Search
News/Activism
Topics · Post Article

FreeRepublic, LLC, PO BOX 9771, FRESNO, CA 93794
FreeRepublic.com is powered by software copyright 2000-2008 John Robinson