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Obama: Keystone rejection no judgment on pipeline merit

The Keystone Oil Pipeline is pictured under construction in North Dakota in this undated photograph released on January 18, 2012. REUTERS/TransCanada Corporation/Handout

The Keystone Oil Pipeline is pictured under construction in North Dakota in this undated photograph released on January 18, 2012.

Credit: Reuters/TransCanada Corporation/Handout

WASHINGTON | Wed Jan 18, 2012 3:30pm EST

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - President Barack Obama on Wednesday blamed his Republican opponents for imposing an "arbitrary" deadline on his review of TransCanada Corp's plan to build the Keystone XL Canada-to-Texas crude oil pipeline, which led to its rejection.

"This announcement is not a judgment on the merits of the pipeline, but the arbitrary nature of a deadline that prevented the State Department from gathering the information necessary to approve the project and protect the American people," Obama said in a statement. "I'm disappointed that Republicans in Congress forced this decision."

(Reporting By Alister Bull and David Alexander; Editing by Sandra Maler)
U.S.
Politics
Environment
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Comments (16)
alanchristopher wrote:
I am not opposed to an oil pipeline from Canada, and, as a Texan, I know that the oil infrastructure for refining the tar sands exists in Texas, and the pipelines for carrying petroleum products around the US after refining exists in Texas. However, the current pipeline route passes over the Ogalala aquifer that irrigates 30% of the food in the US, so it would be prudent to move the proposed route 200 miles to the west to safeguard America’s food supply.

Jan 18, 2012 3:49pm EST  --  Report as abuse
vermejo wrote:
Obama has put off his decision again…..he needs to belly up to the bar and cancel the monster outright…….its not about jobs…..its about stealing citizens private property and the environment……..this is something both republican and democrats can agree on…..no one wants big government taking private land from its citizens……..

Jan 18, 2012 3:52pm EST  --  Report as abuse
Bear589 wrote:
Of course it’s a judegment! Obama has no intention of letting that pipeline be built. I’m tired of him insulting everyone’s intelligence as though they’re too stupid to see the obvious.

Jan 18, 2012 3:52pm EST  --  Report as abuse
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