8:53 pm, February 3rd, 2014
ROB GIBSON | QMI AGENCY
The pathway may be clear for President Obama to approve the Keystone XL pipeline, now that the US State Department's latest environmental survey says the line will not accelerate oil sands development or significantly impact greenhouse gas emissions.
But that hasn't slowed the advertising blitz.
Both sides of the Keystone XL debate have been lobbying for public support, hoping to apply pressure on the Obama administration to make a decision on the pipeline.
During the president's State of the Union address, hedge fund billionaire turned environmental activist Tom Steyer paid to air a commercial which claims oil from Keystone XL will be shipped to China.
The ad is described as a "sucker punch," showing Prime Minster Harper shaking hands with Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao in 2012.
Mr. Steyer declined to tell Sun News what he paid to produce the ads or air them on MSNBC.
However, Sun News has learned the Canadian government intends to spend $24 million on pro-pipeline advertising, mostly in Washington, D.C.
Media experts say it can be difficult to gauge the exact impact these ads have had.
However, a poll conducted by market research firm Abt SRBI indicates support for the pipeline remains steady at 56%.
At the same time, opposition in the States is growing -- up from 35% in November to 41% now.
These numbers show the amount of attention on Keystone from the likes of Neil Young and others is having an impact, and the rhetoric is not likely to die down.
BTW...did you know that there will be these little balls added to the oil to travel down the pipe and they will give readings back on the stability of the pipeline. If anything is reported that there could be a hairline crack star...