DENVER – Both Republican and Democratic members of Colorado’s congressional delegation were disappointed Friday to learn that President Barack Obama rejected the proposed Keystone XL pipeline.
The president’s announcement capped seven years of political drama surrounding the TransCanada pipeline proposal, which often caught elected officials in the crossfire.
Colorado U.S. Sen. Michael Bennet, who made headlines last year for supporting the project as a Democrat, said he disagreed with the president’s decision. Bennet also endorsed Keystone in a symbolic 2013 budget vote. He faces re-election next year.
“For years, the Keystone XL pipeline has been over-hyped on both sides of the debate,” Bennet said in a statement to The Durango Herald. “The number of jobs it would create and the amount of carbon emissions it would facilitate have both been exaggerated.
“Based on scientific analyses that showed building Keystone XL would have little or no bearing on whether our nation will materially address climate change, I voted to move forward with the pipeline,” Bennet added.
Keystone would run from Canada’s tar sands through Montana, South Dakota and Nebraska, connecting with existing pipelines. The $8 billion project aimed to carry more than 800,000 barrels of crude oil a day to refineries along the Texas Gulf Coast.
TransCanada said it remained “absolutely committed” to completing the pipeline, raising the possibility of starting a fresh application. One option on the table is to file a lawsuit against the United States to recoup more than $2 billion that the company says it has already spent.
Colorado environmental groups applauded Obama’s decision to reject the proposal, suggesting that development would have sent the wrong message to the rest of the world on climate change.
Obama will travel to Paris at the end of the month for talks on a global climate agreement. Climate change is shaping up to be Obama’s legacy issue.
“The Keystone Pipeline was a loser project that only would have taken us backwards at a time when we need to be taking bold action on climate change,” said Pete Maysmith, executive director of Conservation Colorado. “President Obama sent a resounding message today that the future of our children and grandchildren and their clean air is more important than the short-term profits of polluters.”
But Republican U.S. Sen. Cory Gardner of Colorado reacted with dismay, suggesting that the president “put the demands of radical political groups over American jobs.” Supporters say the pipeline would create thousands of jobs and inject billions into the economy.
“The president’s decision today has nothing to do with the environment, and everything to do with politics,” Gardner said. “It is my hope that a future president, acting in accord with the wishes of the United States Congress and the American people, will reverse this misguided choice.”
U.S. Rep. Scott Tipton, R-Cortez, added: “This widely supported bipartisan project would have created American jobs, generated additional tax revenue and further strengthened American energy security. It’s disappointing and truly unfortunate that the president chose to unilaterally reject this incredible opportunity, and I hope it will be revived in the coming years.”
pmarcus@durangoherald.com
