The Washington Post editors, “The case for ultimately approving the Keystone XL pipeline — always strong — has grown stronger.

“A key environmentalist argument against Keystone XL has been that the project would encourage the extraction of bitumen, a particularly dirty oil-like substance, from the “oil sands” in Alberta. If activists could “shut in” Canadian bitumen, limiting the ability of oil companies to sell the product, they argued, perhaps petroleum firms wouldn’t be able to fully develop the oil sands. That hope always was unrealistic, and a recent announcement from Kinder Morgan, another pipeline company, illustrates why. The firm wants to nearly triple the capacity of its existing Trans Mountain pipeline between Alberta and Vancouver — a route from the oil sands to the world market — enabling it to carry even more product than the Keystone XL would. From there, much of it would probably head to Asia. . . . [I]t demonstrates a critical point: Even if environmentalists manage to stop one pipeline or another, given high world oil prices, the enthusiastic support of the Canadian government, the many transport options and the years available to develop infrastructure, it’s beyond quixotic to believe that enough of the affordable paths out will be blocked. Environmentalists might succeed, however, in relocating some construction jobs outside the United States.”

They conclude, “So President Obama’s refusal so far to authorize Keystone XL has little rational basis.”

Of course, Republicans have been arguing this for months now. It’s well-known that the Keystone XL pipeline would create tens of thousands of jobs. The president’s own jobs council says “timely development of pipeline, transmission and distribution projects are necessary” and labor unions strongly support the project. More and more rank-and-file Democrats “are joining Republicans in backing the project,” as The New York Times points out.

And yet President Obama continues to block the pipeline from being built. As Sen. Roy Blunt (R-MO) said recently in the Weekly Republican Address, “[T]he Administration continues to block the Keystone XL Pipeline—that’s the nation’s largest shovel-ready project, no taxpayer money involved, it would create thousands of American jobs and deliver more than 800,000 barrels of oil a day to our refineries from our best trading partner and our closest neighbor, Canada—all without costing taxpayers. The Keystone Pipeline is one common-sense step in the right direction to help put more people back to work, reduce prices at the pump, and position our nation for greater energy security now and in the future. . . . The shortest path to more American jobs is more American energy.”

Related:

Democrat Leaders Still Blocking Keystone Pipeline As More Fellow Dems Show They Support It

Gallup: “Solid Majority Of Americans” Want Keystone XL Pipeline; Obama Tries To Claim Credit For Part Despite His Opposition

McCaskill Calls For Obama to Release Day and Half Supply of Oil From SPR

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