President Obama will veto legislation authorizing the Keystone XL pipeline Tuesday, said White House press secretary Josh Earnest.
“You can count on that today,” Earnest said at a press briefing.
The veto wouldn’t nix the pipeline outright.
After more than six years, the $8 billion project is still under federal review for a cross-border permit needed to complete the northern leg. The State Department is presumed to be nearing the end of that review, as it has received comments from other agencies that will be used to determine whether the pipeline is in the national interest.
Republicans have said they will try again to force approval of the 1,700-mile Canada-to-Texas project.
An attempt to override the veto isn’t out of the question, although the bill passed each chamber with less than the two-thirds majority to overturn the decision. GOP lawmakers have said they also will try attaching it to a spending or broader energy bill Obama might sign.
Supporters of the project say the pipeline will provide jobs and boost energy security. But opponents worry it will lock in development of carbon-dense oil sands that will exacerbate climate change.
