Keystone pipeline decision will be his, says Obama, promising what is best for America

The decision will be his, says President Obama, speaking of the controversial Keystone XL pipeline; he will not delegate the decision to the State Department. And he will weigh the economic benefits to America against possible environmental consequences in making his decision, taking "the long view." 

TransCanada's proposed pipeline to ship crude from Alberta oil sands to Gulf Coast refineries is a highly charged political issue for the White House. Labor unions and business groups are for it, arguing that it would create thousands of jobs in the midst of an economic downturn. Environmentalists—who plan to ring the White House in a protest on Sunday—say the extraction of the oil will accelerate global warming and the pipeline itself could spill, polluting waterways and causing severe environmental harm.

Obama spoke to a Nebraska television station about the pipeline, saying that he would weigh the economic benefits against possible environmental consequences. Speaking of the State Department, Obama told KETV, “They’ll be giving me a report over the next several months and, you know, my general attitude is: What is best for the American people? What’s best for our economy both short term and long term? But also: What’s best for the health of the American people?”

The president said that it was important for America to encourage "domestic oil and natural gas production" so that the country did not rely on Middle East sources. But it must be done with due regard for the health and safety of the American people, he said, stressing that that was how he would make his decision.

The Nebraska legislature convened yesterday in a special session called by the Republican governor, Dave Heineman, to consider whether to block the pipeline.

Under US federal law, the State Department is responsible for making permit decisions for international pipelines. The agency, which has been reviewing the matter for three years, has been criticized over whether it subjected the project to sufficient environmental scrutiny. Opponents also question whether State Department officials have experienced a conflict of interest because one of TransCanada’s lobbyists was a top aide to Hillary Rodham Clinton, who is now secretary of state, during her 2008 presidential bid, and the private contractor overseeing the review, Cardno Entrix, counted TransCanada as one of its major clients.

Sabrina Fang, a spokeswoman for the American Petroleum Institute, said she and others remain hopeful that Obama will approve the permit. A decision could come by the end of the year.

“We still believe this is the biggest shovel-ready project out there,” she said of the $7 billion project. “I know the president has been talking about creating jobs. This a way to do that.”