U.S. Keystone environment report released

The controversial Keystone XL pipeline is one step closer to being approved.

A long-awaited report by the U.S. State Department had no major objections to the proposed project. The report says the development of the Alberta oil sands is driven by more factors than a single pipeline, and rejects the argument by environmental groups that stopping the pipeline would hinder their development. The Environmental Protection Agency and other departments now have 90 days to comment on the report. The pipeline would run from Alberta to the U.S. Gulf Coast. There are hopes it will get U.S. President Obama’s approval later this year.