WASHINGTON — The Obama administration is extending indefinitely
the amount of time federal agencies have to review the Keystone XLpipeline, the State Department said Friday, likely punting thedecision over the controversial oil pipeline past the midtermelections.The State Department didn't say how much longer agencies will have toweigh in but cited a recent decision by a Nebraska judge overturning astate law that allowed the pipeline's path through the state,prompting uncertainty and an ongoing legal battle. Nebraska's SupremeCourt isn't expected to rule for another several months, and therecould be more legal maneuvering after that. The delay potentiallyfrees President Barack Obama to avoid making a final call on thepipeline until after the November election."The agency consultation process is not starting over. The process isongoing, and the department and relevant agencies are activelycontinuing their work in assessing the permit application," the StateDepartment said in a statement.Republicans were quick to blast the latest delay in a review processthat has dragged on for more than five years. Senate Minority LeaderMitch McConnell, R-Ky., accused Obama of kowtowing to "radicalactivists" from the environmental community, while House Speaker JohnBoehner, R-Ohio, called the decision "shameful" and said there were nocredible reasons for further delay."This job-creating project has cleared every environmental hurdle andoverwhelmingly passed the test of public opinion, yet it's beenblocked for more than 2,000 days," Boehner said in a statement.In an ironic show of bipartisanship, prominent Democrats fromenergy-dependent states joined Republicans in blasting the Obamaadministration for delaying the decision once again. Democratic Sen.Mary Landrieu, who faces a difficult re-election this year inconservative-leaning Louisiana, said Obama was signaling that a smallminority of opponents can tie up the process forever in the courts,sacrificing 42,000 jobs and billions in economic activity in theprocess."This decision is irresponsible, unnecessary and unacceptable," Landrieu said.But environmental groups fighting the pipeline hailed the delay,arguing that it shows the State Department is taking the argumentsagainst the pipeline seriously."This is definitely great news," said Tiernan Sittenfeld, senior vicepresident for the League of Conservation Voters. "We are veryconfident as they continue to examine the issues with the lack oflegal route in Nebraska and the terrible climate impacts, at the endof the day the pipeline will be rejected."State Department officials said other U.S. agencies will be notifiedof the new deadline to weigh in once the legal situation in Nebraskabecomes clearer. At the core of the delay is a concern that the legalwrangling in Nebraska could lead to a change in the pipeline's routethat would affect agencies' assessments, said the officials, whoweren't authorized to comment by name and demanded anonymity.Officials declined Friday to say when a final decision would takeplace but said the process should proceed "as expeditiously aspossible." They added that the State Department is moving forward withother aspects of its review that must take place before determiningwhether approving the pipeline is in the U.S. national interest.The White House has insisted that Secretary of State John Kerry is incharge of the process, since the pipeline crosses the U.S.-Canadaborder and falls under the State Department's jurisdiction. ButPresident Barack Obama is widely expected to make the final call and,in a nod to environmentalists' concerns, has said the pipeline will bedeemed not in the U.S. interest if it contributes significantly toincreasing carbon dioxide emissions.The White House declined to comment on the State Department'sannouncement, which came on Friday afternoon, when many Americans wereobserving Good Friday and preparing for the Easter holiday. Sen. JohnThune, R-S.D., accused the administration of seizing that opportunityto downplay news of the latest delay.Obama and environmental groups dispute the notion that the pipelinewould create many permanent jobs or have a substantial economicimpact, but Obama has refused to say whether he will nix it. The1,179-mile pipeline would travel through Montana and South Dakota to ahub in Nebraska, where it would connect with existing pipelines tocarry more than 800,000 barrels of crude oil a day to refineries inTexas.The pipeline project, proposed by Canadian company TransCanada, hasbecome a proxy for a larger battle between environmental activists andenergy advocates over climate change and the future of Americanenergy."We are disappointed that politics continue to delay a decision onKeystone XL," said Jason MacDonald, a spokesman for Canadian PrimeMinister Stephen Harper.In January, the State Department said that building the pipeline wouldnot significantly boost carbon emissions because the oil was likely tofind its way to market no matter what. Transporting the oil by rail ortruck would cause greater environmental problems than the pipeline,the report said.The State Department has jurisdiction because the pipeline would crossthe border between the U.S. and Canada.U.S. delays review of Keystone XL pipeline
