Republicans push for approval of Canada pipeline

WASHINGTON (AP) — Republicans in the U.S. Congress pushed for a way to bypass President Barack Obama and get approval of a Canadian oil pipeline that has angered environmentalists but has the ardent support of Canada officials.

The long-delayed $7 billion pipeline proposed by Calgary-based TransCanada would carry oil extracted from tar sands in western Canada to refineries along the Texas Gulf Coast.

Supporters say the 1,700-mile (2,735-kilometer) Keystone XL pipeline would create thousands of jobs, help lower fuel prices and bolster North American energy resources. Canada's prime minister last week said the project "absolutely" should go forward.

Opponents say the pipeline would carry "dirty oil" that could trigger global warming. They also worry about a spill. Converting tar sands into oil can use as much as 15 percent more energy than conventional oil production.

The House of Representatives bill was eventually approved Wednesday, 241-175, largely along party lines.

The White House says Obama opposes the bill because it would "circumvent longstanding and proven processes" by removing a requirement for a presidential permit.

Obama has twice thwarted the pipeline project amid concerns about a proposed route through environmentally sensitive land, even as the White House approved a southern portion of the project from Oklahoma to Texas.

The State Department has authority over the pipeline because it crosses a U.S. border.

The department expects to issue a final report this summer. It said in a draft report this year that the project was unlikely to cause significant environmental impact to most resources along the planned route.

The report also said other options to move the oil from Canada to Gulf Coast refineries, such as in trucks or rail cars, would be far worse for climate change.