Hartzler: It is time for Obama administration to green light Keystone Pipeline

(From Fourth District Congresswoman Vicky Hartzler)

Congress returned to Washington this week to begin the “lame duck” session of Congress which provides current Members with the chance to finish work on important pieces of legislation and other bills that must be completed by the end of the year.

The House’s first major order of business was to pass a bill approving construction of the job-creating Keystone XL pipeline. This will spur local economies from North Dakota to Texas while creating approximately 20,000 jobs as American workers construct a pipeline that will provide a steady flow of oil from Canada, moving up to 830,000 barrels each day.

It has been several years since the backers of the pipeline first submitted an application to the U.S. State Department to build this project. An extensive environmental review was completed in August of 2011, demonstrating there would be limited adverse environmental impacts during construction and operation. It is time for the Obama Administration to reject the environmental extremists and to give the green light to this common sense, bipartisan project that is an integral part of any ‘all-of-the-above’ energy policy.

Having passed the House, the Keystone XL legislation now moves to the Senate for its consideration.