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Hagan urges approval of Keystone XL pipeline in letter to Secretary Kerry
Story Date: 2/27/2013
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Source: PRESS RELEASE, 2/26/13
U.S. Senator Kay Hagan today joined a bipartisan group of Senators in sending a letter to Secretary of State John Kerry urging him to act quickly to approve the Keystone XL pipeline. The State Department, which has authority over cross-border pipelines, received the new route approved by the state of Nebraska on January 22, but has yet to make a final decision process public.
“We believe that you and the President should remain committed to reaching a decision within the first quarter of this year,” the Senators wrote in their letter to Kerry. “The Keystone XL pipeline will supply both energy from our closest friend and partner and create jobs in the United States. Further delay will continue to hurt job creation and may damage our relationship with Canada.”
In November, Hagan and a bipartisan group of Senators wrote to the President reminding him of the importance of swift action on Keystone XL. That letter can be read here. In early 2012, Senator Hagan voted for a bipartisan amendment to require the President to allow the pipeline to proceed. That amendment did not get the 60 votes required for passage.
Text of the letter to Secretary Kerry is below.
The Honorable John Kerry
Secretary of State
Department of State
Washington, DC 20520
Dear Secretary Kerry:
As you begin your tenure as Secretary of State, we urge you to make the timely approval of the Keystone XL pipeline one of your top priorities. We believe that you and the President should remain committed to reaching a decision within the first quarter of this year.
The State Department received the new route approved by the state of Nebraska on January 22, 2013, but the Department has yet to inform the public and stakeholders of a definitive process for the final decision. We urge you as Secretary of State to ensure that this decision process be completed promptly.
As you noted in your recent discussions with the Canadian Foreign Minister, John Baird, we have an important energy relationship with Canada. The Keystone XL pipeline will supply both energy from our closest friend and partner and create jobs in the United States. Further delay will continue to hurt job creation and may damage our relationship with Canada. We cannot afford more delay.
Thank you for your consideration.
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