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The latest legal setback for Calgary-based TransCanada’s $10-billion Keystone XL pipeline through the United States is yet another reminder that Canada needs to export its oil and natural gas to new global markets, says an industry association. A U.S. District Court judge in Montana put the project on hold in a ruling issued late Thursday, saying the potential impact had not been considered as required by federal law. Judge Brian Morris granted an injunction to stop construction of the 1,900-kilometre pipeline, ruling that the U.S. State Department was obligated to "analyze new information relevant to the environmental impacts of its decision" to issue a permit for the pipeline last year. Environmentalists and Native American groups had sued to stop the project, citing property rights and potential oil spills. Canadian Association of Petroleum Producers spokesperson Tonya Zelinsky told CBC News the group is disappointed with the ruling. "This decision further reinforces the need for Canada to export its oil and natural gas to new global markets — ensuring fair market value for our natural resources, helping to meet growing global demand and expanding our customer base beyond the U.S.," she said. Alberta government reaction "This ruling by a foreign court […]
