Mon., November 12, 2012 5:00am (EST)  Weighing The Prospects Of
The Keystone XL Pipeline By NPR Staff Updated: 1 year ago
President Obama speaks at the southern site of the Keystone XL
pipeline in May in Cushing, Okla. Obama is under pressure to
make a decision on the future of the pipeline during his second
term. Among the difficult decisions facing President Obama is
whether to give the go ahead for the controversial Keystone XL
oil pipeline, which would bring oil from Canada down to
refineries in the Gulf of Mexico.  Environmentalists want it
blocked. They are concerned about endangering the Nebraska sand
hills, under which is the largest aquifer in the country. It
provides drinking water and irrigation water for several states.
Oil companies and their supporters, meanwhile, say the pipeline
is in the national interest because it will create thousands of
jobs and make the country more energy independent.  In January,
Obama refused to make a decision about the fate of the pipeline,
citing a State Departme