Climate Change Disappears From Keystone XL Pipeline Debate
Mining and using tar sands oil creates more greenhouse gas emissions than conventional oil. But that's rarely mentioned anymore.
Neither the White House nor the EPA returned requests for comment. A State Department spokeswoman said the agency could not comment on the president's Cushing speech. She added that the State Department has no involvement in reviewing the southern leg of Keystone XL, which would run from Cushing to Texas.
The original Keystone XL pipeline would have connected Alberta, Canada to refineries on the Texas Gulf Coast. TransCanada has since split the project into two parts and hopes to begin building the southern segment this summer. That segment is meant to relieve the glut of oil in Cushing.
The Obama administration announced a day before his visit to Oklahoma that it will speed up the review process for new energy infrastructure projects. As InsideClimate News reportedearlier this month, it is unclear which federal agency will take charge of the Cushing-to-Texas pipeline review. Meanwhile, TransCanada plans to refile an application for the northern section from Alberta to Steele City, Neb. Because that segment would cross an international border, the State Department will be responsible for the review process.
http://truth-out.org/news/item/8124-climate-change-disappears-from-keystone-xl-pipeline-debate
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