US reviews Keystone XL pipeline proposal

NPR : The US Department of State has completed its review of a proposed 2000-km section of the Keystone XL pipeline, which would transport crude oil extracted from Canada’s tar fields. The five-year review process evaluated the likely environmental impact that construction and operation of the pipeline would have, including greenhouse gas emissions and cleanup costs of potential oil spills. The review concludes that the pipeline likely would not cause significant environmental damage. However, it does indicate that under certain conditions, the impact would be noticeable as any spills would be more difficult to clean up than those of “traditional” crude oil. According to the review, the tar sands crude oil has a greenhouse gas footprint 17% larger than US crude oil. It is still not certain whether Secretary of State John Kerry will recommend giving the project the go-ahead, and the final decision rests with President Obama.