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House Republicans pass bill to try and speed up Keystone X.L approval

TransCanada’s Keystone X.L oil sands pipeline could be closer to being built with a bill passed yesterday in the House of Representatives.

House Republicans voted in favour of the Northern Route Approval Act – designed to take the decision out of U.S President Barack Obama’s hands.

Republicans say it needed to be done to ensure that the pipeline, first proposed in 2008, is built.

This marks at least the fourth time the House has tried to speed up the process.

But the Democrat-controlled U.S Senate and the White House have threatened to veto it.

It has been criticized by the Democrats as an attempt to let a foreign company avoid environmental review.

The $7-billion proposed line would ship bitumen from Alberta o refineries along the Texas Gulf Coast.

All it needs is the President’s approval, that’s expected this summer.

May 23rd, 2013