Obama: No to Keystone pipeline; more review needed

President Barack Obama says he’s denying an application for the Canada-to-Texas oil pipeline known as Keystone XL because a GOP-mandated deadline didn’t allow time for a full review. Obama says his decision isn’t a judgment on the merits of the proposed $7 billion pipeline. Rather, he’s citing the “arbitrary nature” of the Feb. 21 deadline that was set by a GOP-written provision in a recent tax bill, which he signed. Obama had until late next month to decide whether the pipeline was in the national interest. Administration officials say the looming deadline cut short the time needed to conduct environmental reviews after the State Department ordered the project developer to find an alternate route to avoid environmentally sensitive areas of Nebraska. The 1,700-mile pipeline would carry oil from tar sands in western Canada to refineries in Texas. It would pass through Montana, South Dakota, Nebraska, Kansas and Oklahoma. Obama’s announcement triggered a flood of negative reactions from industrial associations, the U.S. Chamber of Commerce and legislators who say the project will create tens of thousands of jobs. Louisiana Oil and Gas Association President Don Briggs issued a statement saying, “This announcement comes as a huge disappointment, not only for the state of Louisiana, but for the entire country. This project has the potential to generate over 20,000 jobs for our national economy, in a time where unemployment numbers have reached record levels.”