WASHINGTON, March 15 (Reuters) - The Obama administration said on Tuesday said it would seek additional environmental review for Transcanada Corp's proposed Keystone crude oil pipeline, dealing another setback to the controversial project.
The State Department will require a supplemental environmental impact statement on the planned 2,000 mile (3,220-km) pipeline that will carry crude from Cushing, Oklahoma, to the U.S. refining hub on the Gulf Coast, pushing the final decision on the permit application to some time before the end of the year.
Last month, TransCanada said permitting delays would hold the start of the pipeline up three months more than company had previously forecast.
The decision to conduct more review of the pipeline follows months of protest and push back from green groups and landowners along proposed route concerned about the environmental and safety implications of the pipeline.
The department said it would gather public comment on the supplemental environmental analysis for 45 days beginning in mid-April.
(Reporting by Ayesha Rascoe; Editing by Marguerita Choy)
((ayesha.rascoe@thomsonreuters.com; +1 202 310 5683; Reuters Messaging: ayesha.rascoe.reuters.com@reuters.net)) Keywords: PIPELINE KEYSTONE/STATE (For help: Click 'Contact Us' in your desk top, click here or call 1-800-738-8377 for Reuters Products and 1-888-463-3383 for Thomson products; For client training: training.americas@thomsonreuters.com ; +1 646-223-5546) COPYRIGHT Copyright Thomson Reuters 2011. All rights reserved. The copying, republication or redistribution of Reuters News Content, including by framing or similar means, is expressly prohibited without the prior written consent of Thomson Reuters.
The State Department will require a supplemental environmental impact statement on the planned 2,000 mile (3,220-km) pipeline that will carry crude from Cushing, Oklahoma, to the U.S. refining hub on the Gulf Coast, pushing the final decision on the permit application to some time before the end of the year.
Last month, TransCanada said permitting delays would hold the start of the pipeline up three months more than company had previously forecast.
The decision to conduct more review of the pipeline follows months of protest and push back from green groups and landowners along proposed route concerned about the environmental and safety implications of the pipeline.
The department said it would gather public comment on the supplemental environmental analysis for 45 days beginning in mid-April.
(Reporting by Ayesha Rascoe; Editing by Marguerita Choy)
((ayesha.rascoe@thomsonreuters.com; +1 202 310 5683; Reuters Messaging: ayesha.rascoe.reuters.com@reuters.net)) Keywords: PIPELINE KEYSTONE/STATE (For help: Click 'Contact Us' in your desk top, click here or call 1-800-738-8377 for Reuters Products and 1-888-463-3383 for Thomson products; For client training: training.americas@thomsonreuters.com ; +1 646-223-5546) COPYRIGHT Copyright Thomson Reuters 2011. All rights reserved. The copying, republication or redistribution of Reuters News Content, including by framing or similar means, is expressly prohibited without the prior written consent of Thomson Reuters.