Will Keystone "Significantly Exacerbate The Problem Of Carbon Pollution"? State Already Said No

[hatrack]

President Barack Obama basked in applause Tuesday as he announced what sounded like a daunting environmental threshold for the controversial Keystone XL oil pipeline — that the project can’t go forward if it would “significantly” increase greenhouse gas emissions. What he didn’t mention: His own State Department has already indicated that the pipeline can meet that standard.

The State Department still hasn’t issued its final environmental study on the pipeline, and the EPA has joined green activists in criticizing a draft study from the department that said Keystone’s environmental impact would be minimal. Obama’s words were opaque enough that both supporters and opponents of the pipeline issued cheering statements during and after his speech.

Still, his brief comments marked a detour from the White House’s persistent line that Obama is waiting on the department’s final analysis before making any judgments on the Canada-to-Texas pipeline.

And his remarks can certainly set the groundwork for the president to later say he’d successfully demanded the highest environmental safeguards for the pipeline, if — as is widely expected — he eventually gives it the green light.

EDIT

http://www.politico.com/story/2013/06/obamas-keystone-remarks-cheer-supporters-and-foes-93375.html

[NoOneMan]

1. Per Canadian news, its all but a done deal due to this

Reports basically characterize the Keystone comments as hollow because Obama, while talking stern, gave himself a clear loophole to proceed.

[limpyhobbler]

3. Hey if it were up to me I might block the pipeline, but sorry it's the State Dept.'s decision.

That's how it sounded to me.

[wtmusic]

4. Signs point to Yes

There's no reason Transcanada would continue to lay pipe on an unapproved project. In what may be a surer sign, the American Petroluem Institute's incessant stream of pro-KXL propaganda suddenly stopped last month.

[FBaggins]

2. I had a feeling that was weasel wording.

They won't include the impact of the oil that will flow through the pipe (since that oil will be produced anyway)... and they won't include the impact of the extra refinery operations along the Gulf (since the oil would be refined somewhere)...

...so it's just the construction/operation of the pipeline itself.