Keystone support dips ahead of Senate battle

Support for the Keystone XL pipeline has fallen to 41 percent, according to a new poll.

The survey conducted by NBC News and The Wall Street Journal found that out of the 800 people questioned across the U.S., less than half support approval of the Canada-to-Texas pipeline. 

According to the poll, 20 percent oppose building it, and 37 percent did not know enough to weigh in on the issue.

{mosads}The poll comes at a crucial time for the administration. 

As the Senate kicks off what is expected to be a weekslong battle over legislation to approve the $8 billion oil sands project, President Obama has hunkered down on his skepticism of the pipeline.  

The poll comes days after another poll that found that a majority of people in the U.S. are in favor of giving the administration time to finish its review of Keystone before the president makes his decision on it. 

The Washington Post/ABC poll found 61 percent say the State Department review should be completed before Obama decides to approve or reject the pipeline. 

The new polls embolden the administration’s stance on the project, and weakens Republicans’ argument that the majority of Americans strongly support construction of the pipeline.