US Senate Energy Committee Passes Keystone XL Bill

US Senate Energy Committee approved building Keystone XL oil pipeline project.

WASHINGTON, January 8 (Sputnik) — US Senate Energy Committee has passed the bill that approves building Keystone XL oil pipeline project, Chairman of the Committee Lisa Murkowski said at the hearing Thursday.

"The bill is reported. I thank members for that," Murkowski said.

The Committee voted 13 to 9. The House of Representatives is going to consider the Keystone pipeline approval bill Friday, which will allow the Senate to discuss it next week.

Earlier, the White House confirmed that Obama strongly opposed the Keystone XL Pipeline bill, stressing that the bill "would cut short consideration of important issues relevant to the national interest" including serious security, safety and environmental issues.

The Keystone XL pipeline authorization bill allows an infrastructure company TransCanada to build and operate the pipeline from Alberta, Canada, to the US Gulf Coast. The Energy and Commerce Committee estimated that the United States will get additional 830,000 barrels of oil per day through this project.

Activists have long claimed the pipeline will contribute to climate change while not offering enough benefits. Supporters of the bill refer to the January State Department final Environmental Impact Statement that concluded there will be no significant impact on the environment.