White House says Keystone decision to come only after careful review

Protesters rally about the Keystone XL oil pipeline along U.S. President Barack Obama's motorcade as he arrives at the Jefferson Hotel in Washington July 11, 2013. REUTERS/Yuri Gripas

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The White House said late on Friday that a decision on the Keystone XL pipeline will come only after a careful review of a new environmental impact study from the State Department as well as other comments and information. "A decision on whether the project is in the national interest will be made only after careful consideration of the (State Department environment impact study) and other pertinent information, comments from the public, and views of other agency heads," said Matt Lehrich, a White House spokesman. "The Final Supplemental Environmental Impact Statement includes a range of estimates of the project's climate impacts, and that information will now need to be closely evaluated by Secretary (of State John) Kerry and other relevant agency heads in the weeks ahead," Lehrich said. (Reporting by Roberta Rampton; Editing by Ken Wills)