Obama: supports delay of Keystone pipeline decision

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - U.S. President Barack Obama said on Thursday he supported the State Department's decision to study alternative routes for the Keystone XL pipeline, which will delay a decision on the project for more than a year.

The delay means a final decision to approve or reject the controversial Canada-to-Texas pipeline would not occur until after next year's presidential election, taking political heat off of Obama, who is running for re-election.

"Because this permit decision could affect the health and safety of the American people as well as the environment, and because a number of concerns have been raised through a public process, we should take the time to ensure that all questions are properly addressed," Obama said in a statement.

"The final decision should be guided by an open, transparent process that is informed by the best available science and the voices of the American people," he said.

(Reporting by Alister Bull, Laura MacInnis and Jeff Mason, Editing by Sandra Maler)