Hillary Clinton opposes controversial oil pipeline
Updated: 2015-09-23 10:46
(Xinhua)
|
|||||||||
US Democratic presidential candidate Hillary Clinton speaks in the gymnasium of Moulton Elementary School in Des Moines, Iowa, Sept 22, 2015. [Photo/Agencies] |
WASHINGTON - Democratic presidential candidate Hillary Clinton Tuesday expressed her firm opposition to a controversial oil pipeline after keeping silence on the issue for months.
Calling the Keystone XL oil pipeline "a distraction" from efforts to combat climate change, Clinton for the first time said on the campaign trail in Iowa that she opposed it.
"I oppose it. I oppose it because I don't think it's in the best interest of what we need to do to combat climate change," Clinton said.
The pipeline, which would transport oil from Canada to the Gulf of Mexico, has met with fierce opposition from liberals in the Democratic Party who said it would increase the United States' reliance on fossil fuels.
Clinton said earlier that she wanted to stay out of the debate around the oil pipeline and leave its fate to the Obama administration that was currently in the middle of environmental reviews of the pipeline.
"I was in a unique position as secretary of state at the start of this (review) process, and not wanting to interfere with ongoing decision-making that the president and Secretary (of State John) Kerry have to do in order to make whatever final decisions they need," Clinton said Tuesday to explain her overdue position.
Clinton said the lengthy review process by the US State Department, initiated by former president George W. Bush, caused her to share her stance with voters.
Clinton's announcement came as controversy around her private email setup during her stint as the US top diplomat and surge of Vermont Senator Bernie Sanders in poll numbers threaten to derail her otherwise smooth path to the Democratic nomination.
- Hillary Clinton apologizes for private email setup
- Hillary Clinton's lead eroded by Joe Biden's surge in poll
- Hillary Clinton says campaign unaffected by email scandal
- Clinton says she paid staffer to maintain private email server
- Hillary Clinton breaks with Obama on Arctic oil drilling
- Hillary Clinton relents in e-mail inquiry amid campaign
- Chinese president lands in Seattle, kicking off US state visit
- Top 10 favorite destinations of Chinese travelers in US
- Who accompanies President Xi on foreign visits?
- Special: President Xi visits the US, attends UN summits
- Americans who helped shape China-US relations
- US buses drive with images of China's pandas
- From Iowa farm to White House: Xi's US visits
- LFW: Burberry Prorsum Spring/Summer 2016 collection
Most Viewed
Editor's Picks
8 highlights about V-day Parade |
Glimpses of Tibet: Plateaus, people and faith |
Chinese entrepreneurs remain optimistic despite economic downfall |
50th anniversary of Tibet autonomous region |
Tianjin explosions: Deaths, destruction and bravery |
Cinemas enjoy strong first half |
Today's Top News
Young people from US look forward to Xi's state visit: Survey
US to accept more refugees than planned
Li calls on State-owned firms to tap more global markets
Apple's iOS App Store suffers first major attack
Japan enacts new security laws to overturn postwar pacifism
Court catalogs schools' violent crimes
'Beauty of Beijing's alleys akin to a wise, old person'
China makes progress fighting domestic, international cyber crime
US Weekly
Geared to go |
The place to be |