Valley News Live - KVLY/KXJB - Fargo/Grand ForksDakota Reaction To XL Pipeline

ND Sen. John Hoeven will discuss the XL Pipeline on Valley News Live 6:30 POINT OF VIEW tonight at 6:30pm on KXJB-4.

North Dakota's congressional delegation and several candidates for congress condemned the Obama administration decision to deny an application for a Canada-to-Texas oil pipeline because a deadline set by Republicans didn't allow time for a full review. The President says his decision isn't a judgment on the merits of the pipeline. In a statement, Obama says he's disappointed that Republicans in Congress forced the decision.

 Rep. Rick Berg (R) ND, noted that he will continue working in the House to move the Keystone XL approval forward and is exploring legislative proposals to remove the President's permitting approval authority and transfer it to another jurisdiction's control.

North Dakota Senator John Hoeven is also working in the Senate on proposals to move forward the project. "Analysts are already projecting $5 per gallon of gas by summer in some places. World markets reacted nervously in the wake of the Iranian navy's threats in the Strait of Hormuz –through which one-third of the world's seaborne oil is now shipped. Meanwhile, global demand for oil is growing, especially in China. This is a recipe for dramatically higher energy prices and more personal hardship for working Americans, but our president says ‘no' to a timely solution," said Hoeven in a statement.

U.S. Senate candidate Heidi Heitkamp (D) criticized the Obama Administration's rejection saying, "The President's decision to reject the Keystone XL pipeline was the wrong one, plain and simple... "As North Dakota's United State senator, I will fight alongside Senator Hoeven to reverse this wrong-headed decision and put building the Keystone pipeline on the fast track – even if it means upsetting members of my own party."

U.S. House candidate Brian Kalk (R)expressed his disappointment over the Obama Administration's expected rejection of the Keystone XL pipeline project, which would have brought Canadian oil to the United States. He pointed out that Canada already has a potential customer for all that oil.  "China, who is challenging us around the world, has said it will take all the oil Canada can produce. If we are to get our economy back on track, and be competitive around the world, we must realize that fossil fuels, such as oil, natural gas, and coal, are the keys to prosperity."