The U.S. State Department said Friday it was extending the government comment period on the Keystone XL pipeline, likely postponing a final decision on the controversial project until after the Nov. 4 midterm elections.



The State Department added it was "not starting over," but wanted to give agencies more time to weigh in.


U.S. President Barack Obama has said he will make a final decision on whether to allow the pipeline connecting Canada's oil sands region to Texas refiners but several government agencies were expected to weigh-in by the end of May.


A dispute over the proposed route of the pipeline has stalled the project in Nebraska, though, and officials will cite that uncertainty in its announcement on Friday justifying the delay.


By linking Canadian fields to refiners in the Gulf Coast, the 1,900-kilometre Keystone XL pipeline would be a boon

to an energy patch where oil sands are abundant but lead to more carbon pollution than many other forms of crude.


Keystone's foes say that burning fossil fuels to wrench oil sands crude from the ground will worsen climate change, and that the $5.4-billion pipeline, which could carry up to 830,000 barrels a day, would only spur more production.