US President Barack Obama rejected the proposed Keystone XL oil pipeline from Canada in a victory for environmentalists who have campaigned against the project for more than seven years.
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I agree with this decision, Obama said from the White House, stressing in particular that the project would not have significant impact on the U.S. economy.
In an announcement late Friday morning, Obama said the project by TransCanada, would “not serve the national interests” of the US – and said the project had had an overly inflated role in political relations between Canada and the U.S.
“America’s now a global leader, when it comes to taking serious action to fight climate change”. Obama previously vetoes the project in February. He said he had called Prime Minister Justin Trudeau earlier that day to confirm the decision.
The pipeline would not lower the price of fuel for United States consumers, said the president.
“All of this obscured the fact that this pipeline would neither be a silver bullet for the economy as was promised by a few, nor the express lane to climate disaster proclaimed by others”, he said at a news conference Friday.
Obama is speaking at the White House after meeting with Secretary of State John Kerry. I am disappointed that the president has once again put his own political agenda ahead of the priorities of Missouri’s families and workers.
Both Whitehouse and Reed repeatedly voted against a bill to build to the Keystone XL oil pipeline. “Furthermore, this decision represents a rejection of the will of the American people, and a bipartisan majority of Congress. However, I will continue to work with my colleagues in Congress to help our nation secure energy independence”.
The president of TransCanada, Russ Girling, says, “Misplaced symbolism was chosen over merit and science”. It is my hope that today’s decision doesn’t become standard operating procedure on cross-border infrastructure decisions.
The announcement came two days after the State Department had denied Calgary, Alberta-based TransCanada’s request to temporarily suspend its review of the company’s application.
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The company says it remains “absolutely committed” to building the project and is considering filing a new application for permits.
