Obama Ditches Controversial Keystone XL Pipeline Project

American conservationists have a new reason to celebrate an important victory. Obama has decided to reject the controversial Keystone XL Pipeline project, proposed by TransCanada.

His announcement has pleased all environmentally friendly groups, stating that the pipeline carrying oil from the Canadian tar sands to big refineries from the US could have triggered environmental degradation, affecting both soil, water and air quality.

Obama has motivated his decision by blaming the intervention of Republicans, forcing him to clarify the situation in 60 days, according to the Guardian.

"This announcement is not a judgment on the merits of the pipeline, but the arbitrary nature of a deadline that prevented the State Department from gathering the information necessary to approve the project and protect the American people. I'm disappointed that Republicans in Congress forced this decision, but it does not change my Administration's commitment to American-made energy that creates jobs and reduces our dependence on oil,” explained Obama.

At the same time, the president has highlighted that, under his administration, the foreign oil dependency has dropped significantly.

Moreover, Obama is analyzing new paths of stimulating economic growth, while boosting the usage of natural gas and biofuels, without impacting the health of Americans or the environment in any way.

“In the months ahead, we will continue to look for new ways to partner with the oil and gas industry to increase our energy security - including the potential development of an oil pipeline from Cushing, Oklahoma to the Gulf of Mexico,” added Obama.

Meanwhile, TransCanada officials are disappointed by the decision and plan to carry on with their strategies, hoping that Keystone XL Pipeline project could still be implemented in the near future.

Although the president has refused to give the green light to the Canadian company, it will still focus on new routes for the Keystone XL, counting on the help provided by Nebraska's Department of Environmental Quality.

Even if Obama's position is respected and acclaimed by conservationists, calling it 'brave' and 'heroic,' it has attracted the anger of the Republicans, stating that rejecting the project compromises a lot of jobs and represents a drawback for the national economy.