Obama says NO on Keystone XL pipeline

After seven years of environmental impact studies, and other considerations, President Obama has finally given his formal reply to TransCandad's Keystone XL pipeline from the Canadian border down to the Gulf Coast.   And that answer was a resounding NO.

"The State Department has decided the Keystone XL pipeline would not serve the national interest of the United States -- I agree with that decision. . . .  Shipping dirtier crude oil into our country would not increase America's energy security."

Oil produced from the oil sands in Alberta produces higher greenhouse emissions than conventional crude oil, according to environmental groups who are overjoyed by this decision.   But there have been intense pressures from other interests to build the pipeline -- including a bill passed by the Republican congress, which the president vetoed.

Bill McKibben, president of the climate group 350.org said that "President Obama is the first world leader to reject a project because of its effect on climate . . . [and] That gives him new stature as an environmental leader."

Just last week, TransCanada asked our government to suspend consideration of its application, obviously hoping to wait for a different president and a different decision.   But Obama said no to that delay -- and then followed it this week with his NO about the project itself.

Good.   There is no evidence that the U.S. would benefit substantially from having hundreds of thousands of gallons of dirty crude oil shipped through our country just to go on the international markets.   We do not need the oil ourselves, and we would get all the dangers of spills, which are proven real.    An estimate of 2,000 temporary jobs for the construction but no permanent in crease in jobs.    So I heartily applaud President Obama's decision.

Ralph