Bruce Huber, associate professor of law at the University of Notre Dame, who specializes in environmental, natural resources and energy law, says…
"The project's sponsor, the TransCanada corporation, earlier this week tried to withdraw its proposal, an apparent last-ditch effort to forestall a presidential rejection and await a more supportive president. After assessing its options, the Obama administration chose to reject the proposal nonetheless. Although presidential hopefuls will no doubt seize on this decision, the fact remains that the Keystone pipeline would have represented a relatively insignificant addition to U.S. energy infrastructure. The Pipeline had acquired an outsized symbolic importance to both supporters and detractors, even as other pipeline activity proceeded. Furthermore, Keystone's failure does not necessarily mean that tar sands crude will remain in the ground. Indeed, as US pipelines have reached capacity, rail transporters have been only too eager to deliver crude; oil-by-rail shipments went up fortyfold between 2008 and 2013."
Huber is available for further comment at 574-631-2538 (office) or [email protected]
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