There go thousands of jobs. Thanks, Obama! He’s supposed to be speaking shortly on Fox to justify this decision.
WASHINGTON (AP) — The Obama administration rejected a Canadian energy giant’s application to build the Keystone XL pipeline on Friday, three individuals familiar with the decision said, capping a seven-year saga that became an environmental flashpoint in Barack Obama’s presidency.
Obama was to announce the decision at the White House after meeting with Secretary of State John Kerry. The individuals confirming Obama’s decision weren’t authorized to comment publicly and spoke on condition of anonymity.
Killing the pipeline allows Obama to claim aggressive action on the environment, potentially strengthening his hand as world leaders prepare to finalize major global climate pact within weeks that Obama hopes will be a crowning jewel for his legacy. Yet it also puts the president in a direct confrontation with Republicans and energy advocates that will almost surely spill over into the 2016 presidential election.
Although the project is dead for now, Obama’s rejection will likely not be the last word for Keystone XL.
The pipeline’s backers are expected to challenge his decision in court, and the Republican-controlled Congress may try to override the president, although those efforts have previously failed. The project could also get a fresh look in 2017 if a Republican wins the White House and invites TransCanada to reapply.