Alberta Premier Alison Redford is in Washington, trying to convince members of Congress and government officials of the merits of the proposed Keystone XL pipeline.
On Nov. 10, the State Department said it would delay the approval process for the 2,736-kilometre pipeline, proposed by Calgary-based TransCanada Corp to carry 700,000 barrels a day of mostly oilsands crude from Alberta to U.S. refineries on the coast of the Gulf of Mexico.
It's now expected to take until 2013 for a decision on whether it should get the go ahead.
The Department said it wanted to study alternative routes for the $7-billion project that would bypass the environmentally sensitive Sandhills area in Nebraska and avoid crossing over the Ogalla aquifer, which supplies drinking water for 1.5 million people in eight states.
Redford’s meetings in Washington will extend into Tuesday.
Officials in Redford’s office said she will tell lawmakers that the project would help the struggling U.S. recovery.
Ranchers, environmentalists, Hollywood celebrities and politicians have made the project a focus of protest over several months, expressing concern not only about oil spills but also about the slow pace of developing alternatives to fossil fuel-based energy.
Keystone supporters say it will provide a boost to the economy at a critical time and also significantly reduce U.S. dependence on Middle Eastern oil.
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