"President Obama, denouncing a 'rushed and arbitrary deadline' set by congressional Republicans, announced Wednesday that he was rejecting a Canadian firm's application for a permit to build and operate the Keystone XL pipeline, a massive project that would have stretched from Canada's oil sands to refineries in Texas.

Obama said that the Feb. 21 deadline, set by Congress as part of the two-month payroll tax cut extension, made it impossible to adequately review the project proposed by TransCanada. But he left the door open to the possibility that a new proposal might pass regulatory muster.

'This announcement is not a judgment on the merits of the pipeline, but the arbitrary nature of a deadline that prevented the State Department from gathering the information necessary to approve the project and protect the American people,' the president said in a statement."

Juliet Eilperin and Steven Mufson report for the Washington Post January 18, 2012.
[2]
SEE ALSO:

"Rejecting Pipeline Proposal, Obama Blames Congress" (New York Times)
[3]
"Obama Administration To Deny Keystone XL Oil Pipeline Permit" (Los Angeles Times) [4]

"Business Groups, Republicans Launch Onslaught on President Over Keystone" (E2Wire/The Hill) [5]

"New Study To Probe Corrosiveness Of Canada Oil" (Reuters)
[6]
"NWF's Symons Calls Keystone XL a Scam, Says Oil Will Not Be Used To Benefit Americans" (Onpoint/E&ETV) [7]

"Obama Rejects Pipeline, Blames Republicans" (E&ENews PM) [8]

"TransCanada Could Reapply With New Pipeline Route: Source" (Reuters)
[9]
"Obama Administration Rejects Keystone Oil Pipeline" (Reuters)
[10]
"Obama Rejects Keystone XL Pipeline Permit" (Mother Jones)
[11]
"Harper Miscalculated Keystone Xl Anger, Opposition Parties Say" (Toronto Sun) [12]

"Keystone XL: Canada To Diversify Oil Exports, Harper Tells Obama" (CTV News) [13]

"Obama and Harper Split On Keystone XL Pipeline Deal" (BBC News)
[14]
"No Keystone Pipeline, No Problem: 'I Am Very Serious About Selling Our Oil Off This Continent,' Stephen Harper Says" (National Post) [15]

"Keystone XL Pipeline: GOP Wants Hillary Clinton To Testify" (Politico) [16]

"Keystone XL Decision Hands The GOP A Gift" (Right Turn/Washington Post)
[17]
Video: "Gingrich, Perry Slam Obama Keystone Denial" (Washington Post)
[18]
"EPA Urged To Disregard Oilsands Emissions in Keystone Decision: Letters" (Postmedia) [19]

"Rejected Pipeline Becomes Hot-Button Election Issue" (NPR)
[20]
"Obama Denies Permit for Keystone Oil Pipeline, But Keeps Door Open" (McClatchy) [21]

"Obama Rejects Oil Pipeline From Canada, Triggering Loud Controversy" (McClatchy) [22]

"New Pipeline Study Would Take Minimum 12-18 Months" (Reuters) [23]

"President Obama's Keystone XL Decision Swells Green Group Love To 'High Water Mark'" (Huffington Post) [24]