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McCaskill calls for quick approval of Keystone XL oil pipeline

(via Flickr/ Senator McCaskill)
U.S. Sen. Claire McCaskill D-MO.

Missouri Senator Claire McCaskill is bucking most of her party in calling for quick approval of a new oil pipeline from Canada.

The Democrat sent a letter Tuesday to Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, urging the Secretary to approve the Keystone XL project. Clinton's approval is needed because the pipeline crosses international borders.

In a phone call with reporters Wednesday, McCaskill said she believes that the company behind the pipeline, Trans-Canada, has made changes to satisfy the concerns of environmentalists in Nebraska.

"Now I think it's time to put this on speed warp in terms of approval, because clearly the jobs that would come about with the building of this pipeline are jobs that we needed yesterday," McCaskill said.

Construction on the Keystone XL project pipeline does not affect Missouri - it expands an existing conduit that cuts across the state north of St. Louis.

Follow Rachel Lippmann on Twitter: @rlippmann

Rachel is the justice correspondent at St. Louis Public Radio.