Zinke, Daines Disappointed by Keystone XL “Pause” Request, Blame Obama Administration

On Monday, November 2, TransCanada, the company attempting to build the Keystone XL oil pipeline asked Secretary of State John Kerry to pause the review of its application for that infrastructure project. Montana’s congressman Ryan Zinke described the request as “a tragedy.”

"It's a tragedy," Zinke said. "It would help with energy independence, which has been a long standing goal for this country. Our neighbors to the north are our closest allies, and have been. There is no environmental, by our state department's own report, there is no significant environmental risk to it."

Some have described the request as a tactical move by TransCanada that would delay the approval process until a new U.S. President took office. Zinke also indicated that a new president would be needed to get the pipeline built.

"I think we have turned our backs, to a degree, on Canada, and I think its a travesty," Zinke said. "With a republican president I'm hoping it returns, but also these companies that are in charge of it, they look at it as an investment, you know, billions of dollars on the table, they can can't continue this perpetuity."

Montana Senator Steve Daines also signaled his disappointment over Keystone XL yesterday, blaming the Obama Administration for waging “a full on assault on American energy independence.”