Poll: Majority support completing Keystone review before approval

A majority of Americans are in favor of completing the ongoing federal review of the Keystone XL pipeline before approving the project.

In a poll conducted by The Washington Post and ABC, 61 percent of those surveyed said the State Department review should be completed before any decision is made by President Obama on the $8 billion oil sands project.

{mosads}The question notes that Obama has said he won’t rule on the pipeline’s fate until State’s national-interest review is finished, and that Congress is working on legislation to authorize the pipeline’s construction without presidential approval.

However, the question fails to mention that the review has lasted six years, includes five environmental impact statements, and two delays due to questions surrounding the route in Nebraska.

Out of those surveyed 34 percent said Congress should authorize the pipeline “now.”

Another poll released last week on the topic, found that 57 percent of Americans support building the Canada-to-Texas pipeline.

The findings come as the Senate is set to continue debate on amendments offered to legislation that would approve the project.

Obama has said he will veto the bill if it reaches his desk. The bill is expected to pass easily out of the Senate with 63 senators indicating support.