Poll: 65 percent support Keystone construction

Sixty-five percent of people support the construction of the Keystone XL pipeline between the United States and Canada, a new poll finds. 

A Washington Post-ABC News poll released Friday shows only 22 percent are opposed to the project. 

{mosads}The poll shows there has been little movement in support or opposition to the pipeline in the last year. A Pew poll last April found 66 percent backed construction. 

Majorities of every political party back the pipeline, with Republicans most in favor. Eighty-two percent of Republicans back the effort, while 65 percent of independents and 51 percent of Democrats feel the same. 

In the public’s mind, the economic benefits outweigh concerns about the environmental impact of the pipeline, which is projected to carry 830,000 barrels of oil a day.

Eighty-five percent say the pipeline would create a large number of jobs, including 62 percent who believe it “strongly.” Another 47 percent think it would pose a significant risk to the environment. 

Of those who think it will be a source of job creation and create an environmental impact, 53 percent support the construction.

The poll surveyed 1,002 people and has a 3.5 percent margin of error.  

Following an environmental impact study released in late January, the State Department is expected to make a final recommendation about the pipeline to the White House.

President Obama told a group of governors last month that he would make a decision in the next couple of months, according to Oklahoma Gov. Mary Fallin (R).

The January study found the project would not significantly increase greenhouse gas emissions, and the oil would make it to market whether the pipeline was built. It also found about 2,000 construction jobs would be created, as well as 50 permanent jobs, contributing $3.4 billion to the U.S. economy.