The US State Department in November 2019 released a draft of its most recent study on the Keystone XL pipeline.

The environmental draft marks possible repercussions on a scale from “beneficial” (impacts that would improve resources) to “significant” (impacts that would have adverse effects). Six areas got a minor or moderate rating. That’s soil, air quality, water resources, biological resources, and cultural resources. A seventh category, greenhouse gases, and climate change say there would be direct and indirect emissions from the project.

The recent environmental study absolutely failed to address the Indigenous rights impacts KXL would have on the numerous tribal nations along its proposed route. It failed to account for each and every scientific study that has shown the devastating impacts Keystone XL would have on our climate. It fails to address the reality that the TC Energy’s Keystone 1 pipeline leaked over 350 thousand gallons of tar sands oil in North Dakota in October, making this the fourth major spill on this pipeline.

The comment period for the State Department’s environmental draft ended Nov.18, 2019, but the pipeline continues to be challenged by three lawsuits, all being heard by the same federal judge in Great Falls, Mont.