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 It’s been 1,636 days since the permit for building the Keystone XL pipeline was submitted to President Obama for approval.  Congressman Steve Daines today took to the floor of the U.S. House of Representatives to call for President Obama to expeditiously approve the construction of the Keystone XL pipeline.

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“1636. That’s how many days it’s been since the application to build the Keystone XL pipeline was filed,” Daines said. “It took Canada seven months to approve the pipeline. President Obama has taken four and a half years.”

“Enough is enough,” Daines continued. “We can’t afford to wait any longer. It’s been 1636 days. It’s time for President Obama to approve the Keystone XL Pipeline.”

In his remarks, Daines noted that the U.S. State Department recently released an environment review that confirmed that the Keystone XL would have no significant impact on the environment:

“Earlier this month, the U.S. State Department issued its Supplemental Environmental Impact Statement for the Keystone XL Presidential Permit application, which confirmed what we already knew: the Keystone XL Pipeline will have no significant impacts on the environment. In fact, this is the fourth environmental review of the Keystone Pipeline— with a final report still to come – even though report after report has stated that the pipeline will not have significant environmental impacts.”

Daines also cited the hundreds of Montana jobs that have been held up due to the President’s inaction and noted that the Keystone XL pipeline would move up to 100,000 barrels of oil each day from the Bakken formation, which spreads across eastern Montana and western North Dakota.

“As a member of the House Energy Action Team, I understand how important this project is to our nation—and to my home state, Montana,” Daines said. “Let me be clear—this project means jobs for Montanans.  This project could directly create more than 800 good-paying jobs in Montana – and thousands more across the nation.”

Daines recently led a group of 150 House members in calling on President Barack Obama to approve the construction of the Keystone XL pipeline in light of Nebraska Governor Dave Heineman’s approval of a new route through the state of Nebraska.

A member of the House Energy Action Team, Daines also serves on the House Natural Resources Committee and the Subcommittee on Energy and Minerals.

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