Keystone bill fails, decision on pipeline now rests with Obama

Environment America

WASHINGTON, D.C. – The much-debated bill forcing approval of the Keystone XL pipeline met its final demise this afternoon, when it failed to gain enough votes to override President Obama’s veto. The fate of the controversial tar sands pipeline now rests with the president and his State Department, which must authorize the pipeline’s route across the Canadian border. According to the State Department, building Keystone XL would add 26 million metric tons of carbon pollution to our atmosphere each year, the equivalent of putting another 5.7 million cars on the road. Environment America’s Anna Aurilio issued the following statement:

“Goodbye and good riddance to the Keystone bill, and thanks to the senators who stood up for our kids’ future by voting it down. Now that they’ve failed to force approval of this dangerous pipeline, it’s time for congressional leaders to turn the page and stop doing the polluters’ dirty work.

“The decision about piping the world’s dirtiest fuel across the U.S. border now rests squarely with the president. Keystone XL flunks the global warming test, so President Obama should cement his climate legacy by rejecting this harmful pipeline once and for all.”