Breaking News on Keystone XL Pipeline: More Delay

Don't expect President Obama to issue a yes or no decision on whether to build TransCanada's Keystone XL pipeline until after the November elections. A pending Nebraska court case and millions of public comments were given as the reason for the delay

2 minute read

April 19, 2014, 5:00 AM PDT

By Irvin Dawid


The State Department's decision to delay decision on the controversial pipeline, which would extend 1,179 miles from Hardisty, Alberta to Steele City, Neb. (according to its website) was greeted with predictable reactions.

"Republicans (and some Democrats) who support the pipeline denounced the delay — placing the blame on President Obama — while environmental groups hailed it as a sign that the project will not move forward," writes David Jackson.

The court case, which we posted here in February, is not from environmentalists but from private landowners trying to prevent their property from being seized through eminent domain. Coral Davenport of The New York Times writes that the State Department, which has authority in the decision because the pipeline crosses national borders, needed a "clearer idea how legal challenges to the pipeline’s route through Nebraska will be settled."

Michael Brune of the Sierra Club was predictably pleased.

"Any day without the Keystone XL pipeline is a good day because it means more dirty tar sands crude stays in the ground where it belongs," he said in a press release.

While the decision please the president's supporters in the environmental community, it was met with displeasure by some candidates in his own party facing tough reelections.

"Today's decision by the Administration amounts to nothing short of an indefinite delay of the Keystone Pipeline," stated Sen. Mary Landrieu, D-La.

Sen. Heidi Heitkamp, D-N.D., who is not facing reelection, did not mince her words in expressing her frustration.

"It's absolutely ridiculous that this well-over-five-year-long process is continuing for an undetermined amount of time." 

Friday, April 18, 2014 in USA Today

portrait of professional woman

I love the variety of courses, many practical, and all richly illustrated. They have inspired many ideas that I've applied in practice, and in my own teaching. Mary G., Urban Planner

I love the variety of courses, many practical, and all richly illustrated. They have inspired many ideas that I've applied in practice, and in my own teaching.

Mary G., Urban Planner

Cover CM Credits, Earn Certificates, Push Your Career Forward

Logo for Planetizen Federal Action Tracker with black and white image of U.S. Capitol with water ripple overlay.

Planetizen Federal Action Tracker

A weekly monitor of how Trump’s orders and actions are impacting planners and planning in America.

3 hours ago - Diana Ionescu

Person wearing mask walking through temporary outdoor dining setup lined with bistro lights at dusk in New York City.

Restaurant Patios Were a Pandemic Win — Why Were They so Hard to Keep?

Social distancing requirements and changes in travel patterns prompted cities to pilot new uses for street and sidewalk space. Then it got complicated.

June 19, 2025 - Diana Ionescu

Aerial view of town of Wailuku in Maui, Hawaii with mountains in background against cloudy sunset sky.

Maui's Vacation Rental Debate Turns Ugly

Verbal attacks, misinformation campaigns and fistfights plague a high-stakes debate to convert thousands of vacation rentals into long-term housing.

July 1, 2025 - Honolulu Civil Beat

Aerial view of new neifhborhood under construction with enpty lots in foreground.

In California Battle of Housing vs. Environment, Housing Just Won

A new state law significantly limits the power of CEQA, an environmental review law that served as a powerful tool for blocking new development.

4 hours ago - CALmatters

Low-rise Pearl Sreet mall in Boulfer, Colorado.

Boulder Eliminates Parking Minimums Citywide

Officials estimate the cost of building a single underground parking space at up to $100,000.

5 hours ago - Boulder Reporting Lab

Two-story buildings with porches in walkable Florida neighborhood.

Orange County, Florida Adopts Largest US “Sprawl Repair” Code

The ‘Orange Code’ seeks to rectify decades of sprawl-inducing, car-oriented development.

6 hours ago - CNU Public Square