"An independent government inquiry into the State Department's choice of a private contractor to steer the latest Keystone XL environmental review could remain open through this fall, raising the specter of a further delay in a final decision on the contentious pipeline project that President Obama vowed in March to rule on before 2014."
"A spokesman for State's inspector general, Douglas Welty, said in an interview yesterday that the office expects by the end of the summer to finish examining anti-KXL activists' allegations of bias and impropriety in the screening of Environmental Resources Management (ERM), the firm State tapped a year ago after an earlier contractor's ties to the pipeline sponsor triggered a separate IG investigation.
Welty's office said that if the initial inquiry turns up information that merits a more in-depth audit, a further probe of the department's internal procedures could prolong the process."
Elana Schor reports for EnergyWire August 6, 2013.
SEE ALSO:
"Calling All Keystone (XL) Cops! The Pipeline Hits More Snags" (Bloomberg Businessweek)
"70,000-Plus Sign Petitions Urging Sec. Kerry to Investigate KXL Review" (Bold Nebraska)
"Green Groups Mount Attack Against 'Deeply Flawed' KXL Impact Statement" (Common Dreams)
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