Keystone XL not a "significant" risk to environment: State Department

The US State Department has said that the proposed 1,700-mile Keystone XL pipeline, to carry crude oil extracted from Alberta's tar sands to refineries in Texas is not likely to cause significant environmental problems during construction or operation. The thousand-page report issued today says that no significant problems arising from the project have arisen since a similar report was issued last year.

The pipeline, if approved, will cross Montana, South Dakota, Nebraska, Kansas and Oklahoma, and will double the capacity of an existing pipeline from Canada. Supporters say it could significantly reduce U.S. dependence on Middle Eastern oil.

Supporters also point to the tens of thousands of jobs that construction of the pipeline will create. They insist that it will be built to strict environmental standards, including 57 conditions above those required by law.

The State Department must now decide whether the pipeline is in the national interest before giving its final decision.