Supporters of the Keystone XL pipeline, which would run about 1,900 kilometres from Canada to the Gulf of Mexico, say the $8 billion project of Calgary-based TransCanada Corp. is a critically needed piece of infrastructure that will create thousands of jobs and make the U.S. dependent on oil from friends, rather than foes. Critics claim it will disastrously increase the pollution blamed for global warming and put communities along its route at risk for a damaging spill, all for oil and products that will be exported anyway.