WASHINGTON, D.C. (KTIV) -
Republicans in the U.S. Senate are ratcheting up the pressure on President Barack Obama on the Keystone XL oil pipeline. Wednesday morning, a group of Senators that includes Mike Johanns of Nebraska and John Thune of South Dakota announced they have introduced the North America Energy Security Act. If passed, the act would force the president to approve the $7 billion pipeline that will bring Alberta crude oil to refineries on the U.S. gulf coast. Construction would then begin within 60 days.
Republican Senator Mike Johanns of Nebraska said, "The simple message to the president of the United States today is if you really want to create jobs, if you really want to provide energy independence for this country, approve the permit, recognize the Nebraska process, but allow the construction to start on the rest of the pipeline. And that literally could happen right now."
The controversial pipeline has been plagued by regulatory delays. Canadian pipeline company TransCanada Corp. has been trying to bring the project to fruition for more than three years. It recently agreed to re-route the pipeline's path through Nebraska to avoid the environmentally-sensitive Sandhills and Ogallala Aquifer.
