Inspector General Clears State Department of Conflict-of-Interest in Keystone XL Report

From:  EcoNews

by Laura Beans 

Yesterday, the inspector general concluded that the U.S. State Department did not violate conflict-of-interest rules with the selection of Environmental Resources Management (ERM) to conduct environmental assessments of the proposed Keystone XL pipeline project, according to the L.A. Times.

State Department spokeswoman Jen Psaki told the L.A. Times that the inspector general “found that our processes not only avoided conflicts of interest, but were more rigorous than required.” 

The inspector general’s findings are a blow to environmental groups and concerned citizen that have been working to stop the Keystone XL project.

The report came as blow to environmental groups and concerned citizens opposed to the controversial pipeline project. In October, as reported by EcoWatch, groups had urged Inspector General Steve Linick to conduct an investigation into the business ties between TransCanada—the company building the pipeline—and ERM.

The State Department released their Final Supplemental Environmental Impact Statement (FEIS) in January, determining that the pipeline would not increase the rate of extraction of tar sands and thus isn’t likely to significantly increase carbon emissions and climate change. Last June President Obama vowed he would only approve the Keystone XL pipeline if it “does not significantly exacerbate the problem of carbon pollution.”

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