A sign in a field near Bradshaw, Neb., on March 11, 2015, says "Stop the Transcanada Pipeline".(Photo: NH, AP)
The Canadian company that seeks to build the Keystone XL pipeline asked the State Department Monday to suspend its review of the controversial project.
TransCanada Corporation asked for a pause in the review process while the Nebraska Public Service Commission approves the pipeline route through that state, something the company resisted in the past.
"We are asking State to pause its review of Keystone XL based on the fact that we have applied to the Nebraska Public Service Commission for approval of its preferred route in the state," said Russ Girling, TransCanada's president and CEO, in a company statement.
President Obama in February vetoed a congressional bill that would have approved the 1,179-mile pipeline. Environmentalists opposed the project, arguing that transporting 800,000 barrels a day from the oil sands of Alberta, Canada, to ports and refineries in the Gulf of Mexico would result in putting more climate-changing carbon into the atmosphere.
Supporters — eight Democrats voted with 54 Republicans to override the veto and failed — said the pipeline would create thousands of good-paying jobs and support American businesses.
The State Department, which began its review under an executive order by former president George W. Bush, said it just received TransCanada's letter to Secretary of State John Kerry and that it is now under review.
"In the meantime, consideration under the Executive Order continues," said a spokeswoman, Pooja Jhunjhunwala.
Environmental groups cheered the TransCanada announcement and urged President Obama to kill the project for good.
Greenpeace said on its Twitter account that Obama "still needs to reject" the project "once and for all."
Bill McKibben, founder of the climate advocacy group 350.org, said TransCanada is pinning its hopes on someone more supportive of the pipeline occupying the White House after the 2016 presidential elections.
The Democratic front-runner, Hillary Clinton, has announced her opposition to the project. as have Martin O'Malley and Bernie Sanders. Conversely, all of the GOP candidates have expressed support for the pipeline.
Obama should reject the project, and go to the Paris climate summit later this month "as the first world leader to stop a major project because of its effect on the climate," McKibben said. "No matter what route TransCanada comes back with, the ultimate problem all along with Keystone XL has been that it's a climate disaster."
Sen. Heidi Heitkamp, D-N.D., called the pipeline controversy an example of how emotion and politics conflated a basic infrastructure project "into our top energy issue."
"If we're serious about reducing foreign oil reliance and becoming energy independent, it's time to get to work," she said on Twitter.
If we're serious abt reducing foreign oil reliance/becoming energy independent we can't let emotions dictate policy. It's time 2 get 2 work.
— Sen. Heidi Heitkamp (@SenatorHeitkamp)
November 3, 2015
Sen. John Hoeven, R-N.D., who wrote the legislation that Obama vetoed, said it's "unfortunate" that TransCanada expected its review to be denied despite a seven-year review period "and multiple favorable findings.”
“Instead of making it harder to produce and transport energy in the U.S. and Canada by denying and discouraging projects like the Keystone XL pipeline, the United States needs to empower investment in the energy infrastructure needed to move oil and gas as safely and efficiently as possible,” Hoeven said. That would enable North American energy independence "and avoid the pitfall of returning to our reliance on OPEC and the Middle East for oil,” he said.
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