In the United States, Democratic presidential candidate Hillary Clinton has come out against the Keystone XL oil pipeline. Clinton had repeatedly refused to take a stance, citing her former role as secretary of state and the State Department’s key role in reviewing the pipeline. Rival candidates Bernie Sanders and Martin O’Malley have both opposed the pipeline, which would carry tar sands oil from Canada to the U.S. Gulf Coast. Clinton broke her silence Tuesday in Iowa.

Hillary Clinton: “I think it is imperative that we look at the Keystone pipeline as what I believe it is: a distraction from the important work we have to do to combat climate change and, unfortunately, from my perspective, one that interferes with our ability to move forward to deal with all the other issues. Therefore, I oppose it. And I oppose it because I don’t think — I don’t think it’s in the best interests of what we need to do to combat climate change.”