By Maryt Fredrickson
On June 6, 2011, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (“EPA”) issued its comments to the Supplemental Draft Environmental Impact Statement (“SDEIS”) issued by the Department of State for the Keystone Pipeline which would transport crude oil produced from tar sands in Alberta, Canada, to the gulf coast region of the United States. The SDEIS is available here.
TransCanada Keystone Pipeline, L.P. (“Keystone”) proposed a 1,700-mile, 36-inch diameter pipeline to transport between 700,000 and 830,000 barrels per day of crude oil from a hub near Hardisty, Alberta, Canada to American refineries in the Midwest and the Gulf Coast. A Presidential Permit is necessary for the pipeline to cross the Canada–United States border, at a location near Morgan, Montana. Exec. Order No. 13,337, 69 Fed. Reg. 25,299 (May 5, 2004).