A good decision that lingered on for too long. But good environmental decisions are rare enough that the best reaction is better late than never.

President Obama has rejected a presidential permit Friday for the controversial Keystone XL pipeline, according to individuals briefed on the decision, citing concerns about its impact on the climate.

The decision to deny TransCanada Corp. a cross-border permit for a 1,179-mile pipeline between Hardisty, Alberta, and Steele City, Neb. puts an end — at least for now — to a seven-year fight over a project that came to symbolize what Obama could do unilaterally to keep fossil fuels in the ground.