Science & Technology

State Dept: Keystone XL Pipeline Would Have Minimal Effect on Climate Change

So build it?

|

A new State Department report on the proposed Keystone XL oil pipeline finds that the project would have a minimal impact on the environment, an assessment likely to increase pressure on the White House to approve it. But the report sets no deadline for doing so. 

Given this evaluation of environmental impact, President Barack Obama and his administration will face increased pressure to approve the project, which enjoys widespread support among Republicans, and some measure of support among Democrats and allies of the administration, like labor unions.  The proposed pipeline would carry crude derived from oil sands in Canada to refineries in the United States.