Tester, Baucus urge approval of Keystone Pipeline

Senators continue fight for Montana jobs on five-year anniversary

(U.S. SENATE) – Montana’s U.S. Senators Jon Tester and Max Baucus are continuing their push for the Keystone Pipeline, as today marks five years since TransCanada first applied for a permit from the State Department.

“I will keep fighting for the Keystone Pipeline until it is built to the highest safety standards and with respect for private property rights. The pipeline will strengthen our economy and let us continue to cut our oil imports from countries that wish us harm,” Tester said.

“After five years of studies and red tape, it’s well past time to put Americans to work building the Keystone pipeline,” Baucus said. “The President’s own State Department has released 3 studies showing there will be no harm to the environment. There are no more excuses left. Americans can’t afford to wait any longer for Keystone jobs.”

In August, Tester and Baucusm introduced new legislation again expressing the Senate’s position that the President should approve the pipeline as soon as possible.

The State Department has released three draft Environmental Impact Statements finding “no significant impacts” on the environment. In its latest analysis in March, the State Department concluded that “there would be no substantive change in global greenhouse gas emissions” associated with Keystone XL: http://keystonepipeline-xl.state.gov/draftseis/index.htm.