A bill in the U.S. House of Representatives that’s aimed at getting the Keystone XL pipeline approved has cleared its first hurdle.
A subcommittee voted to pass the Northern Route Approval Act and send it to the body’s full Energy and Commerce committee.
The bill would remove the need for a Presidential permit in order for the oil sands line to go ahead.
It’s based off of a similar bill from 1972 that allowed the Alaska pipeline to be built.
Two democrats joined 15 Republicans in voting for the bill; but it’s not clear whether the bill could pass the U.S. Senate too.
April 17, 2013
