Karen Harbert
On its own, the Keystone XL oil pipeline is an important project. It would fill a critical infrastructure need by providing a safe, reliable way to transport oil from Canada and the Bakken region in the United States to refineries in the Midwest and the Gulf region.
But thanks to the extreme politicization of the review process by the Obama administration and its allies, the coming decision on Keystone XL will be about much more than just a pipeline. It will have far-reaching implications on the relationship between the United States and its top trading partner, Canada, as well as on future capital investments in our economy from around the world.
It didn’t have to be this way—and it didn’t used to be in America. In the same amount of time that the Keystone XL pipeline application has been under review, the Hoover Dam, the New Jersey Turnpike and the Empire State Building were built — a clear indicator of how cumbersome political today’s permitting process has become.
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As each day passes by, the Keystone XL pipeline project stands as a giant red flag to anyone seeking to do business with our country, and other nations are lining up to be the recipients of Canadian oil.
There’s a reason why public opinion polls show that between 60 and 70 percent of Americas support building Keystone. Our citizens know that it is in our national interest. Now is the time for our government to make that designation and allow this project to move forward.
Read the full article at The Hill.