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Republicans Introduce Bill to Bypass Obama and the State Department on Keystone XL Pipeline Decision.
4 February 2012
Feb. 3 (CRC)—A House Energy and Commerce Subcommittee held a hearing today on the Keystone XL Pipeline project which is now on hold following the Obama administration’s denial of a presidential permit last month. Keystone XL is the proposed 2,735-kilometres pipeline that would carry crude oil from the northern Alberta tar sands to refineries on the Gulf Coast of Texas. Nebraska Congressman Lee Terry just introduced legislation called “The North American Energy Access Act” that would take the decision away from the State Department which has authority over the project since it crosses an international border. Republicans argue that the Constitution gives them, the lawmakers, power to “regulate commerce with a foreign nation.” The bill would transfer authority over to the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission. Another House Republican, Ted Poe from Texas, introduced a similar bill called the “Keystone for Secure Tomorrow Act”. During today’s Subcommittee hearing, officials from the Army Corps of Engineers and the Department of the Interior testified that the Lee sponsored Republican legislation would remove key oversight responsibilities which now rest with their agencies. The Corps of Engineers presently play a role in authorizing construction affecting wetlands and rivers under its jurisdiction; and the Interior Department Bureau of Land Management have the responsibility to approve rights of way for pipelines crossing federal lands. Republican Senators John Hoeven of North Dakota, Richard Lugar of Indiana and David Vitter of Louisiana have also introduced a separate bill which now has 44 co-sponsors. The Senate bill authorizes the immediate construction of the Keystone XL Pipeline except in the Nebraska Sand Hills, the contentious area which sits over a major Midwest aquifer. Michigan Representative John Dingell (D.-MI.) appealed for his Republican colleagues to abandon legislation that would force approval of the pipeline within 30 days. “I would urge my colleagues not to drive away members like me by moving too fast on this, because if you do you will simply create a wealth of litigation,” Dingell told the House Subcommittee today. “The lawyers will have a fine time, make lots of money and the business of the country will be, in fact, delayed by carelessness of this committee.” Dingell said that Republican legislation would result in a presidential veto and “a splendid fight that will generate ill will.” Newt Gingrich, following his victory in the South Carolina Republican Presidential primary, praised Prime Minister Harper for being a “conservative and pro-American,” but blamed Obama for cancelling Keystone and strengthening Canada-China trade relations. Gingrich affirmed that Harper was: “going to cut a deal with the Chinese and they’ll build a pipeline straight across the Rockies to Vancouver.” Gingrich further argued that “an American president who can create a Chinese-Canadian partnership is truly a danger to this country.” In response, Resources Minister Joe Oliver wrote that “Our government has no interest in commenting on or becoming involved in the election process in the United States of America. We respect the regulatory process and will continue to advocate on behalf of Canada’s interest.” Meanwhile Prime Minister Harper heads for China in a few days on a week-long trade mission. Among the trade and investment agreements that will be signed in Beijing, one involves the future sale of 500,000 barrels of oil sands bitumen daily to China. That trade deal is dependent on a Canadian regulatory process now underway that gives the authorization for the construction of the Northern Gateway Pipeline stretching from the Alberta tar sands to Kitimat, B.C. The crude oil would then be pumped into tankers for maritime delivery to China.[GGG] |