In an effort to court the liberal wing of the Democratic Party, presidential frontrunner Hillary Clinton announced on Tuesday that she opposes construction of the Keystone XL pipeline.
Clinton made the announcement during a campaign stop in Iowa after months of equivocation on the issue.
The pipeline, which has been stalled by bureaucratic delays since it was first proposed seven years ago, remains popular with the American people.
Even Democrats support the pipeline, polling data shows. Self-described liberals in the party are more likely to oppose it, even as a majority of Democrats making less than $50,000 per year and a plurality of those making between $50,000 and $100,000 support it.
The pipeline is expected to save thousands of lives by replacing more hazardous rail transportation of crude oil from western Canada, according to a study from the State Department, which Clinton led.
