U.S. support for Keystone XL pipeline is softening, new poll suggests
CALGARY – As senators in Washington D.C. prepare to vote Tuesday on “Buy America” and “no export” amendments for a bill that would approve TransCanada Corp.’s Keystone XL pipeline, support for the much-debated oilsands line may not be as widespread and deeply felt as previously thought, accordingly to the results of a new poll.
With Keystone XL court win in Nebraska, Obama is now losing the process battle
U.S. President Barack Obama, who wants process to run its course in the review of Keystone XL, can’t be pleased with the Nebraska court decision that removes one of the last known obstacles to the project
Read more
Keystone XL, an $8-billion pipeline that would expand Calgary-based TransCanada Corp.’s capacity to deliver oil from Alberta to the Gulf Coast of the United States by 830,000 barrels per day, has been the subject of heated debate in the U.S. capital since the Republican-dominated 114th Congress convened this month.
Republicans vowed to make a bill that would force President Barack Obama to approve Keystone XL their first order of business in Congress, saying that support for the pipeline is widespread.
However, a poll published Monday for The Washington Post and ABC News shows the majority of Americans would rather see TransCanada’s pipeline finish the regulatory review process currently underway than be expediently approved by U.S. Congress.
The telephone poll of 1,003 adults was conducted between Jan. 12 and 15, and prefaced the question about Keystone XL with some background on the pipeline debate. A poll of that size has a 3.5 point error margin.
“Obama has said he won’t decide whether to approve a new oil pipeline from Canada to Texas until a review has determined whether it is in the national interest. The Republicans in Congress are working on a law to authorize the pipeline without Obama’s approval,” the question stated. Half of the survey’s respondents were then asked which side they supported.
Only 34% of respondents said the pipeline should be authorized now, while 61% said the review should be completed before a decision is made. Another 2% did not want the pipeline to be allowed and 3% had no opinion.
“I think if most people were presented with a choice of doing due-diligence and following a process through, they would choose that. I would,” TransCanada spokesman Mark Cooper said in an interview.
“However, this is not an ordinary process.”
“Normally, this process takes about two years and now we’re about six years plus,” Mr. Cooper said.
The U.S. Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee communications director Robert Dillon also downplayed the importance of the poll.
“Remember that Congress is the elected representatives of the people of America and so — hopefully — they’ll vote in a way that is accountable to their constituents. That will be the ultimate poll,” he said in a phone interview.
Mr. Obama has the power to approve construction of the pipeline because it crosses the U.S. border. In the spring of 2014, the project was in the middle of what the U.S. State Department calls the national interest determination and preparing to submit its recommendation on whether or not the president should approve the line.
Related
U.S. Senate advances Keystone XL bill as showdown with Obama looms
Your move, Obama: Nebraska court clears path for presidential decision on Keystone
However, the process stalled when landholders in Nebraska launched a legal challenge and demanded a trial on the legality of the pipeline’s route through that state.
A split decision from the Nebraska Supreme Court this month ruled that legal challenge will not result in a trial and so the State Department review process has now resumed. On Friday, the U.S. government issued a deadline of Feb. 2 for input on the national interest determination, and a recommendation is expected at some point thereafter.
That hasn’t stopped Republicans in Congress, who believe the regulatory process for the pipeline has taken too long, from trying to pass legislation that would immediately approve Keystone XL.
Mr. Dillon said that Senators would vote on amendments to a bill that would force the approval of Keystone XL on Tuesday. Those amendments include “Buy American” provisions and rules that would prevent oil carried down the line from being exported out of the United States.
U.S. support for Keystone XL pipeline is softening, new poll suggests | Financial Post
CALGARY – As senators in Washington D.C. prepare to vote Tuesday on “Buy America” and “no export” amendments for a bill that would approve TransCanada Corp.’s Keystone XL pipeline, support for the much-debated oilsands line may not be as widespread and deeply felt as previously thought, accordingly to the results of a new poll.
With Keystone XL court win in Nebraska, Obama is now losing the process battle
U.S. President Barack Obama, who wants process to run its course in the review of Keystone XL, can’t be pleased with the Nebraska court decision that removes one of the last known obstacles to the project
Read more
Keystone XL, an $8-billion pipeline that would expand Calgary-based TransCanada Corp.’s capacity to deliver oil from Alberta to the Gulf Coast of the United States by 830,000 barrels per day, has been the subject of heated debate in the U.S. capital since the Republican-dominated 114th Congress convened this month.
Republicans vowed to make a bill that would force President Barack Obama to approve Keystone XL their first order of business in Congress, saying that support for the pipeline is widespread.
However, a poll published Monday for The Washington Post and ABC News shows the majority of Americans would rather see TransCanada’s pipeline finish the regulatory review process currently underway than be expediently approved by U.S. Congress.
The telephone poll of 1,003 adults was conducted between Jan. 12 and 15, and prefaced the question about Keystone XL with some background on the pipeline debate. A poll of that size has a 3.5 point error margin.
“Obama has said he won’t decide whether to approve a new oil pipeline from Canada to Texas until a review has determined whether it is in the national interest. The Republicans in Congress are working on a law to authorize the pipeline without Obama’s approval,” the question stated. Half of the survey’s respondents were then asked which side they supported.
Only 34% of respondents said the pipeline should be authorized now, while 61% said the review should be completed before a decision is made. Another 2% did not want the pipeline to be allowed and 3% had no opinion.
“I think if most people were presented with a choice of doing due-diligence and following a process through, they would choose that. I would,” TransCanada spokesman Mark Cooper said in an interview.
“However, this is not an ordinary process.”
“Normally, this process takes about two years and now we’re about six years plus,” Mr. Cooper said.
The U.S. Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee communications director Robert Dillon also downplayed the importance of the poll.
“Remember that Congress is the elected representatives of the people of America and so — hopefully — they’ll vote in a way that is accountable to their constituents. That will be the ultimate poll,” he said in a phone interview.
Mr. Obama has the power to approve construction of the pipeline because it crosses the U.S. border. In the spring of 2014, the project was in the middle of what the U.S. State Department calls the national interest determination and preparing to submit its recommendation on whether or not the president should approve the line.
Related
U.S. Senate advances Keystone XL bill as showdown with Obama looms
Your move, Obama: Nebraska court clears path for presidential decision on Keystone
However, the process stalled when landholders in Nebraska launched a legal challenge and demanded a trial on the legality of the pipeline’s route through that state.
A split decision from the Nebraska Supreme Court this month ruled that legal challenge will not result in a trial and so the State Department review process has now resumed. On Friday, the U.S. government issued a deadline of Feb. 2 for input on the national interest determination, and a recommendation is expected at some point thereafter.
That hasn’t stopped Republicans in Congress, who believe the regulatory process for the pipeline has taken too long, from trying to pass legislation that would immediately approve Keystone XL.
Mr. Dillon said that Senators would vote on amendments to a bill that would force the approval of Keystone XL on Tuesday. Those amendments include “Buy American” provisions and rules that would prevent oil carried down the line from being exported out of the United States.
U.S. support for Keystone XL pipeline is softening, new poll suggests | Financial Post
