On Friday, President Obama rejected TransCanada Corp.’s proposed Keystone XL Pipeline which would build an oil pipeline from Canada to ports around the Gulf of Mexico.
“This morning, Secretary Kerry informed me that after extensive public outreach and consultation with other cabinet agencies, the State Department has decided that the Keystone XL Pipeline would not serve the national interests of the United States,” President Obama said during his announcement. “I agree with that decision.”
President Obama said Canadian Prime Minister Trudeau voiced disappointment with the decision, but agreed to work with the administration on other energy proposals.
The pipeline was widely supported by Republicans, all 16 presidential candidates have voiced support for it, and all three Democratic presidential candidates have said they oppose the pipeline.
Friday's rejection comes two days after the State Department officially rejected TransCanada’s request to pause the review process of the pipeline. TransCanada said it’s decision to request a pause of the review process was not about politics.
It requested that the Obama administration waits until Nebraska finished its review process before continuing the federal review.
The State Department had already review the pipeline and concluded that the project would not harm the environment. Friday’s decision frustrated Republicans across the country who think the project should have been given the green light a long time ago.
Since the announcement that the Obama administration would not pause its review, conservatives have accused the administration of using rejection of the pipeline to score political points with the environmental lobby.
The president took a shot at conservatives for, as he said, making the pipeline a symbol in campaigns rather than a policy issue. “For years, the Keystone Pipeline has occupied what I frankly consider an over inflated roll in our political discourse,” Obama said.
The president said the pipeline would not have a long term impact on the economy or job creation and urged Congress to create an infrastructure plan instead. “If Congress is serious about creating jobs, this was not the way to do it.”
“This Congress should pass a serious infrastructure plan,” the president said.
Concluding the press event, the president focused on lower gas prices across the country and cited the 5% unemployment rate for the country, both of which occurred without the pipeline, as support for his rejection of Keystone.
The president also touted his clean energy reforms and urged Congress support laws to further a transition away from oil and gas and towards renewable energy.
“This morning, Secretary Kerry informed me that after extensive public outreach and consultation with other cabinet agencies, the State Department has decided that the Keystone XL Pipeline would not serve the national interests of the United States,” President Obama said during his announcement. “I agree with that decision.”
President Obama said Canadian Prime Minister Trudeau voiced disappointment with the decision, but agreed to work with the administration on other energy proposals.
The pipeline was widely supported by Republicans, all 16 presidential candidates have voiced support for it, and all three Democratic presidential candidates have said they oppose the pipeline.
Friday's rejection comes two days after the State Department officially rejected TransCanada’s request to pause the review process of the pipeline. TransCanada said it’s decision to request a pause of the review process was not about politics.
It requested that the Obama administration waits until Nebraska finished its review process before continuing the federal review.
The State Department had already review the pipeline and concluded that the project would not harm the environment. Friday’s decision frustrated Republicans across the country who think the project should have been given the green light a long time ago.
Since the announcement that the Obama administration would not pause its review, conservatives have accused the administration of using rejection of the pipeline to score political points with the environmental lobby.
The president took a shot at conservatives for, as he said, making the pipeline a symbol in campaigns rather than a policy issue. “For years, the Keystone Pipeline has occupied what I frankly consider an over inflated roll in our political discourse,” Obama said.
The president said the pipeline would not have a long term impact on the economy or job creation and urged Congress to create an infrastructure plan instead. “If Congress is serious about creating jobs, this was not the way to do it.”
“This Congress should pass a serious infrastructure plan,” the president said.
Concluding the press event, the president focused on lower gas prices across the country and cited the 5% unemployment rate for the country, both of which occurred without the pipeline, as support for his rejection of Keystone.
The president also touted his clean energy reforms and urged Congress support laws to further a transition away from oil and gas and towards renewable energy.