Dear Ms. Patrizzi:
Thank you for writing to me to express your opposition to the proposed Keystone XL pipeline project, which would transport crude oil from Canada to refineries on the U.S. Gulf Coast. I appreciate hearing from you.
I am pleased to report that on January 18, 2012, President Obama denied TransCanada’s permit application to build the Keystone XL oil pipeline. As Chairman of the Senate Environment and Public Works Committee, I had previously written to Secretary of State Hillary Clinton to express my serious concerns about the Keystone Project and its potential impacts on public health and the environment. Given the many questions that remain unanswered about the proposal, I applaud the Administration’s decision.
As you may know, the Keystone XL pipeline proposal had been under review by the U.S. State Department, which delayed its decision on the application because of concerns over the submitted pipeline’s route through the environmentally sensitive Sand Hills region of Nebraska. However, the Republican majority in the House of Representatives forced an expedited decision from the Administration on the project by inserting a 60-day deadline in the payroll tax cut extension enacted late last year.
I believe it is imperative that we have thorough and objective environmental assessments so that the public can fully understand the impacts of proposed projects. Without the appropriate amount of time to properly review the Keystone project, the Obama Administration made the right decision to reject the pipeline.
Again, thank you for contacting me. Please know that I will work to ensure that any future proposals are subject to a rigorous and independent review that will ensure the health and the safety of the American people.
Sincerely,
Barbara Boxer
United States Senator
Please do not respond to this message. If you would like to comment on legislation, please visit my website and use the correspondence form at https://www.boxer.senate.gov/en/contact/policycomments.cfm.
