Government letter lists concerns over draft Keystone XL environmental impact statement

The US Department of Interior has expressed concerns over the “inaccurate” claim of the State Department’s draft conclusions that the impact of Keystone XL (KXL) on wildlife would be temporary.

Direct environmental impact statement criticised

The Department of the Interior has criticised the draft environmental impact statement (DEIS) on KXL. The document, published in March this year, outlines the pipeline’s expected impact on the natural environment, endangered species, communities and the economy. It concluded that KXL would only have a temporary and indirect impact on wildlife.

Willie Taylor, Director of the Interior’s Office of Environmental Policy and Compliance, sent a letter in April to the State Department, but the letter was only released last week. The letter listed a number of issues with the DEIS, including the concern that any effects on wildlife may be permanent.

The 12 page letter lists several potential permanent threats to wildlife, including "loss of habitat, habitat fragmentation, species displacement, barrier effect, etc", and says that the DEIS's conclusion that "permanent impacts are not expected" in terms of wildlife is not accurate.

State department responds

A State official said the department was working towards a final environmental impact statement and would consider more than 1.2 million public comments received, including the letter from the Department of the Interior.

TransCanada’s KXL pipeline would connect Albertan oilsands with refineries in Texas. A decision is expected from President Barack Obama later this year, on whether the pipeline project will go ahead.

Edited from various sources by Elizabeth Corner

Read the article online at: https://www.worldpipelines.com/business-news/21082013/government_letter_concerns_over_draft_kxl_environmental_impact_statement_436/