In an effort to court the liberal wing of the Democratic Party, presidential frontrunner Hillary Clinton announced on Tuesday that she opposes construction of the Keystone XL pipeline.
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Republicans say the pipeline is a jobs measure while most Democrats say it is an environmental hazard that will create a small number of jobs.
“Secretary Clinton is in a tough primary battle, and opposing Keystone has direct appeal to many Democratic activists she is courting, so this is no surprise”, said Paul Bledsoe, a former Clinton White aide on climate change. “And unfortunately, from my perspective, one that interferes with our ability to move forward to deal with the other issues”. “I oppose it because I don’t think it’s in the best interests of what we need to do to combat climate change”.
“As a senator who has vigorously opposed the Keystone pipeline from the beginning, I am glad that Secretary Clinton finally has made a decision and I welcome her opposition to the pipeline”, he said.
Clinton previously – and repeatedly – declined to answer questions about Keystone, citing her role in the pipeline’s State Department-approval process.
While in Barack Obama’s cabinet, Clinton had indicated she was inclined to support the project to transport crude from the Alberta tar sands to refineries on the Texas Gulf Coast. Environmentalists have balked at that conclusion and said that the low oil prices of the previous year mean the pipeline will make oil sands development easier.
But last week, she promised that her decision would be coming “soon” and suggested that she has been growing impatient with the White House for delaying its final verdict on the matter.
“Therefore I oppose it”, she said.
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Sanders released a statement Tuesday afternoon praising the fact that Clinton “finally” made the decision to oppose Keystone.
