THE KEYSTONE XL PIPELINE TEMPEST: U.S. REJECTS PERMIT APPLICATION OF TRANSCANADA; SUPPORTERS READY TO START AGAIN, BUT OPPONENTS ENTRENCH TO FIGHT 'DIRTY OIL' – SHOULD FERC TAKE OVER?

摘要

The State Department on 1/18/12 rejected TransCanada's application to build the Keystone XL oil pipeline, saying Congress gave it an impossible deadline to conclude the environmental review. The Administration acted well ahead of the 60-day grace period (ending on February 21) provided by Congress to make a decision. In a presidential memorandum for the Secretary of State, President Obama declared, "I have determined, based upon your recommendation, including the State Department's view that 60 days is an insufficient period to obtain and assess the necessary information, that the Keystone XL pipeline project, as presented and analyzed at this time, would not serve the national interest." During the day, President Obama called Canadian Prime Minister Stephen Harper to personally convey his administration's decision on the pipeline. The State Department in November had announced it would delay a final decision on the permit until the first quarter of 2013 to consider the environmental impacts of rerouting the pipeline's path in Nebraska.