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EPA makes a political play to disrupt Keystone XL approval


Sabrina Fang | 202.682.8114 | fangs@api.org


WASHINGTON, February 3, 2015 – API Executive Vice President Louis Finkel said the Environmental Protection Agency’s is inventing new excuses to further delay the approval of the Keystone XL pipeline.

“Suggesting that the drop in oil prices requires a re-evaluation of the environmental impact of the project is just another attempt to prolong the KXL review,” said Finkel. “Keystone XL was put forward when oil was less than $40 a barrel so price has little impact on the project. American refiners want it; American producers want to get their oil to those Gulf Coast refineries and we believe Americans would rather get a large portion of the eight to nine million barrels they import each and every day from Canada rather than Venezuela or the Middle East.

“The science behind building the Keystone XL pipeline has been settled five times over. The State Department has concluded the pipeline is safe to build, and it will not have a significant impact on the environment. After initially approving its own environmental review, EPA’s latest change of heart can only be described as politics as usual here in Washington.

“After more than six years the time for review is over. We continue to urge President Obama to reconsider his veto threat. All he has to do is look at his own State Department analysis on KXL to see that the project is in our national interest. It’s time to put good public policy ahead of politics.”

API is the only national trade association representing all facets of the oil and natural gas industry, which supports 9.8 million U.S. jobs and 8 percent of the U.S. economy. API’s more than 625 members include large integrated companies, as well as exploration and production, refining, marketing, pipeline, and marine businesses, and service and supply firms. They provide most of the nation’s energy and are backed by a growing grassroots movement of more than 25 million Americans.
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