The Keystone XL pipeline would ship Canadian oilsands oil across 1,800 kilometres to U.S. refineries on the Texas Gulf Coast.
Photo Credit: Eric Hylden/Associated Press

U.S. battles over Canadian pipeline project

A political showdown is brewing in the United States over the Canadian proposal to build a pipeline to bring Canadian crude through the U.S. to the Gulf of Mexico. The Canadian government is a vigorous promoter of the Keystone XL pipeline and the industry that extracts oil from sands in the western province of Alberta.

After making big gains in midterm elections last week, Republicans passed a measure in the U.S. Congress today backing the pipeline. They have a majority there and in the Senate and,after passing the measure in both houses, they hope to oblige President Obama to approve it.

Several environmental groups have lobbied hard against the project because extracting bitumen from the oilsands creates carbon emissions which contribute to climate change. They are waiting to see if Obama will act on vague promises to cut greenhouse gas emissions and veto the pipeline project.

Categories: Environment & Animal Life, International, Politics, Society
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