Long past time to give Keystone XL project the green light

[Draggingtree]

The Oklahoman:

Long past time to give Keystone XL project the green light

The Oklahoman Editorial | Published: February 24, 2013

 

NATIONAL debt counters are a staple of conservative group websites. They give a running tally of the debt level and how fast it's growing.

 

The U.S. House Energy and Commerce Committee has a counter of its own. This one tallies the time that's transpired since backers of the Keystone XL pipeline applied to the State Department for a permit to build the project. As we typed these words, the counter hit 1,616 days, 12 hours, 27 minutes and 57 seconds.

 

This represents more than four years of waiting by TransCanada and its supporters. The pipeline would bring Canadian tar sands oil to Cushing. A second leg, already under construction, would link Cushing with the Gulf Coast. The Obama administration has blocked construction of the northern segment, despite repeated route changes and compromises. The president is under intense pressure to OK the permit, pressure that's coming from both sides in the controversy.

 

Pipeline opponents staged rallies in several cities last week, just days after showboating anti-pipeline celebrities