CUSHING, Okla. (AP) - President Barack Obama is defending his administration's handling of the contentious Keystone XL pipeline, saying Congress made it impossible for him to make an informed decision.
Obama says experts needed a certain amount of time to review the Keystone project, which would have run from Canada to Texas. But he says Congress wanted to make its own timeline based on politics, which forced him to reject the project.
The president says he is happy to review future permits for the Keystone pipeline.
Today we're making this pipeline from Cushing to the gulf a priority. The southern leg, we're going to get it done-- the northern portion -- we're going to have to review to make sure the health and safety of the American people are protected, that's common sense," said the president.
Obama spoke Thursday at the site of another pipeline that would run from Oklahoma to Texas' Gulf Coast. Obama is directing federal agencies to expedite the 485-mile line to help remove a critical bottleneck in the country's oil transportation system.
"Producing more oil and gas at home has been and will continue to be part of the energy strategy,” said Mr. Obama.
(Copyright 2012 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)
