Energy secretary to visit Canada

Energy Secretary Ernest Moniz will visit Ottawa, Canada, later this month to work out energy challenges facing Ukraine, and other issues in North America.

Ottawa’s Natural Resources Minister Greg Rickford will meet with Moniz on Sept. 18, the Globe and Mail reports.

{mosads}It is the first time a U.S. Energy secretary will visit Canada since President Obama took office.

The lapse likely stems from the strained energy relationship between the two countries over the controversial Keystone XL pipeline.

Rickford said Keystone will be brought up in the meeting, but he plans to look beyond it to discuss where progress can be made in other energy areas between the two countries, according to the Globe and Mail.

Moniz is currently gathering information, and conducting meetings surrounding the department’s extensive review of U.S. energy policy. The Energy Department does not have jurisdiction over Keystone’s permit, but has submitted comments on the pipeline to the State Department.