President Obama Rejects Keystone XL Pipeline

[웃 910]

President Obama Rejects Keystone XL Pipeline'

The Obama administration today formally rejected a bid by Canadian energy company TransCanada to build a $7 billion oil pipeline linking the tar sands of Alberta to refineries on the Gulf of Mexico.

The Keystone XL project, which was estimated to create thousands of U.S. jobs, became an election-year lightning rod, embroiling President Obama, congressional Republicans, labor unions and interest groups in a heated debate over jobs and the environment.

The State Department, which holds the authority to approve or reject pipelines that cross an international boundary, said in November that it would delay a decision on Keystone to allow for further study of the environmental impact along its 1,700-mile route.

Then in December, Congress tried to force the president to make a decision proposal within two months, tucking the mandate into the payroll tax cut bill that Obama ultimately signed into law.

But the president said today in a statement that the congressionally imposed deadline did not provide adequate time for the State Department to finish a customary review of the pipeline's route through six states.

"The rushed and arbitrary deadline insisted on by Congressional Republicans prevented a full assessment of the pipeline's impact, especially the health and safety of the American people, as well as our environment," Obama said.

"As a result, the secretary of state has recommended that the application be denied. And after reviewing the State Department's report, I agree."

Sources say the administration's decision effectively hits the reset button on a review process that has been underway for several years, but does not preclude TransCanada from resubmitting a proposal for reconsideration.

Labor unions, oil industry groups -- even the president's jobs council -- have signaled support for the plan, which also has bipartisan backing on Capitol Hill. But environmental groups warned it would have a dangerous effect on ecosystems and human health, ratcheting up pressure on Obama to defer to his progressive base in an election year.

"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.

Still, news of the rejection quickly sparked condemnation from members of Congress on both sides of the aisle.

House Speaker John Boehner of Ohio, who has said pipeline construction would "create 100,000 new jobs," warned that delaying the deal would mean losing jobs to China.

"The Canadians are in conversations with the Chinese, and if we don't build this pipeline to bring that Canadian oil and pick up the North Dakota oil and deliver it to our refineries in the Gulf Coast, that oil is going to get shipped out to the Pacific Ocean and will be sold to the Chinese," Boehner said.

Rep. Joe Donnelly, a Democrat from Indiana, said he is "very disappointed" in the Obama decision. "They are missing an opportunity to create thousands of jobs in America," he said.

Meanwhile, environmental groups claimed victory over the oil industry, which had spent millions lobbying intensely for approval of the pipeline.

"The Keystone XL fight was David versus Goliath; no one thought we could win," said Dan Moglen of Friends of the Earth. The decision shows "sustained grassroots pressure aimed at holding the president accountable to the public interest proved more powerful than all the lobbyists the oil industry could muster."

Frances Beinecke, president of the Natural Resources Defense Council, praised Obama for putting "the health and safety of the American people and our air, lands and water -- our national interest -- above the interests of the oil industry."

But the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, the nation's largest pro-business lobby, said the interests of Americans looking for work were cast aside in what was "a politically charged" move.

"By placing politics over policy, the Obama administration is sacrificing tens of thousands of good-paying American jobs in the short term, and many more than that in the long term," chamber president Tom Donohue said in a statement.

"It is dumbfounding that President Obama's decision to deny the Keystone XL pipeline permit ignores his own Council on Jobs and Competitiveness "Road Map to Renewal" report. Issued yesterday, it recommends that the United States step up its game on energy and construct pipelines to deliver fuel as a key component of our economic recovery."

Administration officials have denied that politics played a role in the decision, citing established precedent for careful review of the environmental impact of major projects .

It is a "non-political, professional process that has been in place long before this administration came into office," White House press secretary Jay Carney told reporters today.

Carney would not comment directly on the administration's decision or why it was made.

Keystone on Campaign Trail

Obama's decision on the pipeline also reverberated on the presidential campaign trail, drawing rebuke from the Republican candidates.

"This is a stunningly stupid thing to do," said former House Speaker Newt Gingrich at a campaign stop in Aiken, S.C. The administration is "so out of touch with reality it's as though they were governing Mars. Stupidity No. 1, we need the jobs. Maybe when they're unemployed in November they'll figure out jobs matter. "

Texas Gov. Rick Perry addressed Obama directly in Greer, S.C., saying "you've just basically said to Americans, we're going to allow the Chinese the opportunity to negotiate to go get that oil rather than America."

GOP front-runner Mitt Romney said Obama demonstrates a "lack of seriousness" about doing whatever it takes to accelerate job growth and economic recovery.

"He seems to have confused the national interest with his own interest in pleasing the environmentalists in his political base," Romney said in a statement.

Obama campaign spokesman Ben LaBolt countered Romney's charge, charging that former Massachusetts governor's opposition to the pipeline demonstrates that he would "rubberstamp whatever the Republicans in Congress demand of him."

http://abcnews.go.com/Politics/OTUS/president-obama-rejects-keystone-xl-pipeline/story?id=15387980&page=2

[Obama 2012 1,714]

What a pathetic President.

[luckytxn 2,265]

Thanks Obama the Socialist for continuing to destroy this country. The economic benefits from building this pipeline was enormous. What ever the payoff you received had to be small considering the ruin you wrought.

[Leatherneck 693]

Not surprised at his decision, he'll find some group to blame for that decision.

[Mr. Big Dog 10,747]

FAIR TAX

[Gary and Alla 3,694]

Clever. He found a way to avoid a decision until after the election so he can continue to receive donations from both sides of the issue. At the cost of 10s of thousands of jobs, but who cares?

[Bad_Daddy 2,209]

He's being an idiot. That pipeline would have provided a sh*t load of jobs and gave this country cheaper energy. ####### is he thinking? I mean seriously? He gives hundreds of millions of dollars to these bogus energy companies like Solandra, and then screws us on this pipeline?

[Mr. Big Dog 10,747]

Clever. He found The GOP handed him a way to avoid a decision until after the election so he can continue to receive donations from both sides of the issue. At the cost of 10s of thousands of jobs, but who cares?

Fixed. Now he can point fingers as to why the project was rejected at this time: because Congress forced a deadline that could not be met. The project ain't dead, of course, and will be approved eventually. Once all the open issues have been reviewed and addressed. Had the GOP not insisted on slipping this arbitrary deadline into a tax cut bill, Obama would have had to explain why the administration needs over a year still to complete the review and due diligence. Now he doesn't have to explain that anymore. The GOP served this up on a silver platter. The Republicans outmaneuvered themselves. Again. They're really getting good at this. In an election year.

[Gary and Alla 3,694]

He's being an idiot. That pipeline would have provided a sh*t load of jobs and gave this country cheaper energy. ####### is he thinking? I mean seriously? He gives hundreds of millions of dollars to these bogus energy companies like Solandra, and then screws us on this pipeline?

Politics Kip. Nothing is more important to a politician. He needs the support of the Environmenmtal wackos and the unions so he cannot make a decision at this point and alienate the money and votes of either one. It is not like he is in a stron position for re-election.

The pipleine WILL be approved but not until after the election unless the Repubs find a way to force his hand, they already tried that and the politiicans in the Senate bailed Obama out. You are going to see very little actually happening this year

If Republicans win the Presidency they will approve the pipeline right away, If Obama wins, so will he, for the reasons you state. He will toss the environmental wackos right under the bus in faovr of unions every time. These ARE Dems we are talking about.

[Mr. Big Dog 10,747]

Politics Kip. Nothing is more important to a politician. He needs the support of the Environmenmtal wackos and the unions so he cannot make a decision at this point and alienate the money and votes of either one. It is not like he is in a stron position for re-election.

The pipleine WILL be approved but not until after the election unless the Repubs find a way to force his hand, they already tried that and the politiicans in the Senate bailed Obama out. You are going to see very little actually happening this year

If Republicans win the Presidency they will approve the pipeline right away, If Obama wins, so will he, for the reasons you state. He will toss the environmental wackos right under the bus in faovr of unions every time. These ARE Dems we are talking about.

And Republicans will approve this and thereby support unions. Politicians doing politics. What do you know?

[Bad_Daddy 2,209]

If they want this pipeline done right, then they want to go with union laborer on this job...especially a job of this size and magnitude.

[Gary and Alla 3,694]

Fixed. Now he can point fingers as to why the project was rejected at this time: because Congress forced a deadline that could not be met. The project ain't dead, of course, and will be approved eventually. Once all the open issues have been reviewed and addressed. Had the GOP not insisted on slipping this arbitrary deadline into a tax cut bill, Obama would have had to explain why the administration needs over a year still to complete the review and due diligence. Now he doesn't have to explain that anymore. The GOP served this up on a silver platter. The Republicans outmaneuvered themselves. Again. They're really getting good at this. In an election year.

Actually the Republicans included an approval of the pipeline in their proposal and the Dems changed it to a deadline decision and the Repubs folded and let it go. Mistake. This was the plan all along and I suspected this when I heard the counter offer, so we could debate the subtlties if it mattered. It doesn't

Politicians will sell us down the river for political reasons, regardless of their party. Good reason the Feds should be kept out of as much as possible.

[Mr. Big Dog 10,747]

Actually the Republicans included an approval of the pipeline in their proposal and the Dems changed it to a deadline decision and the Repubs folded and let it go.

The Republicans let themselves be set-up here. It's the reality. The White House was very clear the minute the Senate passed the measure with this ridiculous rider that this clause will mean that the project will be rejected. There was no doubt about it. And the House passed it anyway so the President could sign it - and reject the keystone XL project because of this rider the GOP insisted on passing along with the payroll tax cut extension. They were outmaneuvered. Again. It becomes a habit. Not good in an election year.

[Gary and Alla 3,694]

And Republicans will approve this and thereby support unions. Politicians doing politics. What do you know?

No. They will support jobs and energy. Whether it is union labor or not is not up to congress BUT if the work does not take place there is NO CHANCE of any union jobs. Unions have done a fairly good job of justifying themselves on projects like this, they have a good chance of getting a lot of the work simply because it makes sense for this kind of work.

You cannnot call me a "union man" by any means but I often choose union labor for skilled trades. I look at ultimate project cost and sometimes union trades are the most efficient. Trades people are pretty well paid anyway. It isn't like the non-union tradespeople are cheap, you know. I insist on union pipefitters for example, they are just damn good and I do NOT want to have to deal with welding leaks in long runs of pipe. I have never had a problem with union pipefitters.

Bottom line, if NO work is taking place NO ONE has a job. If a big project is undertaken then it will result in jobs for a lot of people and a lot of them will be union.

[Mr. Big Dog 10,747]

No. They will support jobs and energy. Whether it is union labor or not is not up to congress BUT if the work does not take place there is NO CHANCE of any union jobs. Unions have done a fairly good job of justifying themselves on projects like this, they have a good chance of getting a lot of the work simply because it makes sense for this kind of work.

You cannnot call me a "union man" by any means but I often choose union labor for skilled trades. I look at ultimate project cost and sometimes union trades are the most efficient. Trades people are pretty well paid anyway. It isn't like the non-union tradespeople are cheap, you know. I insist on union pipefitters for example, they are just damn good and I do NOT want to have to deal with welding leaks in long runs of pipe. I have never had a problem with union pipefitters.

Bottom line, if NO work is taking place NO ONE has a job. If a big project is undertaken then it will result in jobs for a lot of people and a lot of them will be union.

So Republicans will support unions by approving the project. You say that right here and you said as much in your earlier post. It's okay. It's politics.