Following one of the most thorough and pragmatic project reviews in our nation’s history it’s time to move forward with the Keystone XL Pipeline

HOUSTON, TX:  The draft SEIS issued Friday by the State Department is the first formal step in the agency’s review of TransCanada’s permit application for the Keystone XL pipeline.

CEA Executive Vice-President, Michael Whatley, issued the following statement upon reviewing the draft environmental impact statement:

“For months project opponents have tried to convince the public that moving forward with the pipeline would sacrifice our environment to the benefit of our economy.  The draft SEIS from the State Department clearly refutes this false choice.”

“The document clearly shows the project will have minimal environmental impacts when TransCanada implements its proposed project Construction, Mitigation and Reclamation plan (CMRP) and refutes project opponents’ claims that the project will increase carbon emissions from oil sands development.”

“We urge the U.S. State Department to finalize its review and the Administration to quickly approve the cross-border permit which will allow this critical project to move forward, create thousands of high paying jobs and provide the United States with a much-needed economic boost.”