Obama Seeks to Secure His Environmental Legacy

President Barack Obama appears to be looking to secure his climate legacy.  Rejecting the Keystone XL pipeline from Canada to the U.S. appears to be his most recent step to have the U.S. lead the effort against global warming.

It's a decision seven years in the making.

"...the State Department has decided that the Keystone XL pipeline would not serve the national interests of the United States. I agree with that decision," he said.

The president said he would block the pipeline project if it would make climate change worse. His administration concluded it wouldn't, but he blocked it anyway because of the "perception" it would transport dirty oil.

"Let me briefly comment on some of the reasons why the State Department rejected this pipeline. First, the pipeline would not make a meaningful long-term contribution to our economy," Obama said.

"Second, the pipeline would not lower gas prices for American consumers. In fact, gas prices have already been falling steadily," he continued.

"Third, shipping dirtier crude oil into our country would not increase America's energy security. What has increased America's energy security is our strategy over the last several years to reduce our reliance on dirty fossil fuels from unstable parts of the world," Obama said.

With a powerful international climate treaty set to be finalized early next month, the president appears to be trying to lock in his environmental legacy.

Some of Obama's other executive steps to reduce greenhouse gases include his limits on carbon dioxide emissions from U.S. power plants and ramping up fuel efficiency standards for cars and trucks.

But those regulations – and the treaty itself – could face a difficult future in a Republican-controlled Congress, which is concerned about the detrimental effect on the economy.