Oklahoma AG Scott Pruitt Announces Support For Keystone XL Pipeline Project

Russell Hulstine, NewsOn6.com

OKLAHOMA CITY -- Oklahoma Attorney General Scott Pruitt says he supports the construction of an oil pipeline from Canada to Cushing in Payne County.

Pruitt says he will appear Friday at a U.S. State Department public hearing on the proposed TransCanada Keystone XL pipeline.

Pruitt has sent a letter to Secretary of State Hillary Clinton expressing his support for the pipeline and will outline the economic and national security benefits of the Keystone XL pipeline.

Read Pruitt's letter to Secretary Clinton.

"The Keystone pipeline is critical to resolving the glut of crude oil at the Cushing Hub in northern Oklahoma – the most significant trading hub for crude oil in North America. There is no reason Cushing should have millions of barrels of crude oil stored in tanks instead of getting to refineries and consumers who need it. The pipeline will rectify this problem," Scott Pruitt said.

Earlier this month, Pipelines Local Union 178 announced it supports the pipeline project because of the jobs it will bring to Oklahoma.

9/21/2011 Related Story: Pipeline Construction Would Bring Thousands Of Jobs To Oklahoma