Trump acts to advance Keystone XL, Dakota Access pipelines
ASSOCIATED PRESS
President Donald Trump signed an executive order on the Keystone XL pipeline, today, in the Oval Office of the White House in Washington.
ASSOCIATED PRESS
President Donald Trump, flanked by GM CEO Mary Barra and Fiat Chrysler Automobiles CEO Sergio Marchionne, gestured while speaking at the start of a meeting with automobile leaders in the Roosevelt Room of the White House in Washington today.
WASHINGTON >> President Donald Trump signed executive actions today to advance construction of the huge Keystone XL and Dakota Access oil pipelines, moving aggressively to overhaul America’s energy policy and dealing a swift blow to Barack Obama’s legacy on climate change.
Trump told reporters at the White House the pipelines will be subject to conditions being negotiated by U.S. officials — including a requirement that the pipe itself be manufactured in America.
“From now on we are going to start making pipelines in the United States,” Trump said from the Oval Office.
On Keystone, the memorandum by Trump invites the pipeline builder, TransCanada, to resubmit its application to the State Department for a presidential permit to construct and operate the pipeline.
Trump’s memo on the Dakota Access pipeline says its construction and operation will serve the national interest. The memo orders the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers to review and approve construction and easement requests in an expedited manner for a project that has led to major protests by American Indian groups and their supporters.
As a practical matter, the Dakota Access project is likely to be completed first — perhaps years before Keystone, which must cross a U.S. border and faces a more complicated review process. The company building the Dakota pipeline says it is complete except for the section that would pass under the Missouri River near a camp in North Dakota where pipeline opponents are demonstrating.
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Obama halted the proposed Keystone XL pipeline in late 2015, declaring it would undercut U.S. efforts to clinch a global climate change deal that was a centerpiece of his environmental agenda. The pipeline would run from Canada to Nebraska, where it would join other lines already leading to refineries along the Gulf Coast. A presidential permit is needed because the pipeline would cross the northern U.S border.
The Army decided last year to explore alternate routes for the Dakota pipeline after the Standing Rock Sioux tribe and its supporters said it threatened drinking water and Native American cultural sites. The company developing the 1,200-mile pipeline, Texas-based Energy Transfer Partners, disputes that and says it will be safe.
The Dakota pipeline is to carry North Dakota oil through South Dakota and Iowa to a shipping point in Illinois.
“Today’s news is a breath of fresh air, and proof that President Trump won’t let radical special-interest groups stand in the way of doing what’s best for American workers,” said Sen. John Cornyn of Texas, the second-ranking Republican in the Senate.
In July, the Army Corps of Engineers granted the company needed permits, but in September the agency said further analysis was needed. On Dec. 4, the assistant Army secretary for civil works, Jo-Ellen Darcy, said alternate routes needed to be considered. Energy Transfer Partners called the decision politically motivated and said that Obama was delaying the matter until he left office.
Nearly 600 pipeline opponents have been arrested in North Dakota since last year. An encampment on Corps land along the pipeline route was home to thousands of protesters who call themselves “water protectors,” though the camp’s population has thinned due to harsh winter weather and a plea by Standing Rock Chairman Dave Archambault for the camp to disband.
Trump touted the stalled Keystone project during a late October campaign swing through Florida, saying: “We’re going to approve energy infrastructure projects like the Keystone pipeline and many more.” He listed the project among his top priorities for the first 100 days of his administration, saying it could provide “a lot of jobs, a lot of good things.”
Trump also supports the Dakota pipeline. Until last year, Trump owned a small amount of stock in Energy Transfer Partners and at least $100,000 in Phillips 66, an energy company that owns one-quarter of the pipeline. Trump sold the shares last year as part of a wide-ranging stock divestment, a spokesman said.
Environmental groups blasted today’s order as a bid by Trump to serve the oil industry. Trump’s nominee for secretary of state, Rex Tillerson, is a former Exxon Mobil CEO, and his pick for energy secretary, former Texas Gov. Rick Perry, owns stock in Energy Transfers.
“Donald Trump has been in office for four days and he’s already proving to be the dangerous threat to our climate we feared he would be,” said Michael Brune, executive director of the Sierra Club.
He and other activists said the fight against the projects was not over.
“It’s a dark day for reason, but we will continue the fight,” said Bill McKibben, co-founder of the environmental group 350.org and a leader of a five-year fight against Keystone XL.
48 responses to “Trump acts to advance Keystone XL, Dakota Access pipelines”
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“Energy Independence” begins! #MAGA in action!
That keystone pipeline is only going to make China great again with cheaper oil shipped from the pipeline while ruining the environment through the heart of the United States.
http://news.nationalgeographic.com/news/energy/2011/08/110819-keystone-xl-canadian-oil-and-chinese-market/
Give it up. Build the pipeline. Care to look at how many pipelines have already been built across the country. Wake up and think for yourself.
@ krusha
Disagree.
America Energy Independence = Security for America.
IRT Krusha, pls read the article again. If the U.S. did not approve the Keystone Pipeline, then China was in line to purchase the Canadian oil, build a larger pipeline to Vancouver, and ship to their homeland.
So we are going to build a pipeline for China instead?
We are going to sell them our precious oil to fuel their huge factories while our factories stay shuttered?
This would not be Making America Great, and Trump is just too smart for that.
He’s going to keep the oil here to fuel the American rebirth, and cut off oil and gas sales to China. Just wait and see. He doesn’t want to Make China Great, for goodness sakes.
USA does not need coal or oil to be independent. Natural gas is all over. Mys state is rolling in cash and can sell all we can produce. Hawaii lacks resources and any intelligence so it needs to use alternative energy where it can.
Fracking is an environmental nightmare…
Then go back to where you came from All-Lies. And take LessPark with you since he’s hot for you.
The Keystone pipeline has nothing to do with energy independence. It’s Canadian oil, very dirty, corrosive oil that will be transmitted across the United States to refineries in Texas and then sold overseas. Studies have show that its construction will raise the price of gas in the Midwest. The 11-volume State Department study concluded that, after construction, it will generate 50 long-term jobs.
Hm-m-m-m. That doesn’t sound like the way to make America Great.
You must be mistaken.
Trump says he has a cunning plan for America. He is brilliant. In time you’ll see.
IRT KeoniGohan, completely agree with your post. Imua.
Black Knees
We knew this was going to happen!
Man of Action! Hard at work on the second day at work, what a difference from his predecessor.
I hope he goes after those TMT protesters and say L with you and let the construction begin.
As the summers get hotter on the mainland, and water becomes more of a problem, we can all thank the Donald for warming up America. These pipe lines will be perfect targets for terrorists.
We can thank Obama for letting them in disguised as refugees.
Ditto!
Love to see your evidence of that. Sadly Obama has deported more than basicall all past presidents combined. or something like that. Just don’t be surprised if some day in the future one of these pipe lines are blown up over a water source. And it may not be due to a Islamic terrorist, it might just as eaily be done by a good ole country boy who didn’t get his minimum wage job under the Donald.
Too easy:
http://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2015/dec/30/pakistanis-terrorist-connections-nabbed-us-border/
terrorists ???
Looks like these pipelines are a perfect target for YOU.
Then again, birds of a feather . . .
Yes, the great land of oily water! Can’t wait…
Complaining fools want gas but no pipelines! Dah!
Exactly. Trump is not going to let the pipeline carry Canadian oil through the US heartland, risking the health and welfare of his land and people, just to go and sell it to China.
Trump will put a stop to that so we can use the oil here and pay less for gas.
You’ll see.
Recently got off a Webnair on Sector update. There is a lot of optimism on Energy Sector. Oil Rig count is up and growing related materials industry to extract oil will be positively affected. At the current $ per barrel U.S. can produce with a decent profit. OPEC wants $ per barrel to go up to $70’s to keep their profits at a level they can “live” with…in my opinion we’re in our “sweet spot”. The big picture, we may or will become and oil producing exporting nation…need to build infrastructure to export. In addition, high quality coal market’s major player is Mongolia and we need to develop infrastructure to export same. These are just a few that provide us leverage globally…just saying. 🙂
It’s funny. Every time I read a Trump article, the author seems to go out of his or her way to throw in a jab of negativity towards Trump. We get it media, you are full on liberals who do not like Trump.
In contrast, the media downplays or completely avoids writing or even mentioning at all anything negative about Obama as if he walks on water. He gets a free pass, but every move that Trump makes is scrutinized, twisted, and mocked.
I just found out that in his “11th Hour” as POTUS, Obama sent 221 million of our tax dollars to the Palestinians. I am outraged by this. And my outrage carries over to the media including the SA for completely ignoring this story to hide Obama’s questionable leadership.
So here’s how it is media, we’re not stupid. We’re going to find out on our own news that matters which helped us decide the course of our country to take. This is exactly why Trump is now POTUS. People like me who got sick and tired of Obama’s middle east policy which would have been a further disgrace under the leadership of Hillary Clinton, whose true character and motives for her power quest was downplayed as well.
Are you referring to the following story in the Star-Advertiser, latenightroach?
“U.S. sent $221 million to Palestinians in Obama’s last hours“
Agreed, latenightroach.
Obama’s Mideast policy was a JOKE. No more $billions and $billions for Israel.
American taxpayers gave Israel $3.6 billion per in Military aid ($9.8 million per day) in 2016. By all accounts the United States has given more money to Israel than to any other country. The Congressional Research Service’s conservative estimate of total cumulative US aid to Israel from 1949 through 2015 is $127.4 billion (not adjusted for inflation). The inflation-adjusted total is much much higher.
Contrary to ordinary U.S. policy, Israel has been and continues to be allowed to use approximately 26% of U.S. military aid to purchase equipment from Israeli Arms manufacturers.
No other recipient of U.S. military assistance has been granted this benefit, and this has allowed the Israel’s arms industry to become one of the strongest in the world. In 2015, Israel sold $5.7 billion in military goods to other countries. This is killing American jobs.
For example, US Arms makers are competing against the Israelis in the Indian defense procurement market at the same time we are subsidizing the Israeli defense industry. Does this make any sense?
The U.S. government estimates that Israel is using approximately $1.2 billion each year (38.7% of the aid it receives from the U.S.) to “directly support its domestic budget rather than to build on its arsenal of advanced US equipment.” Israel has used American tax dollars to pay for its state of the art infrastructure, excellent education system, and massive border-security walls. They built themselves a beautiful wall but WE PAID FOR IT!
Trump is going to fix this injustice, revoke Obama’s obsolete giveaway to Israel, negotiate for America, and MAKE THEM PAY just like he’s going to do for NATO and the UN.
Heck, even NATO allies joined the US in its post-9-11 military response in the region. These allies shed blood for us with boots on the ground in Afghanistan, but where was Israel? Crickets…
If Israel wants American military support, they are going to have to pay instead of just fomenting conflict and then profiting off of selling military equipment to the combatants.
Enough pampering of Israel while the American people suffer.
Trump is so right. America First!
No matter if you like Trump or not you have to admire him. He does what he says. He bucked the system and became president. So what if his father loaned him a mil, I’ll give my kid a mil if he can turn it into several billion.
I should also add he is what 70 years old. Most folks would be happy to nap on the couch at that age. You really need to admire the man.
President Trump continues working at “Light Speed” MAGA! Funny thing? Remember how much the Unions were supporting the Democrats all these years? Well that have changed! The POTUS is all about Jobs! And Unions NEED JOBS!
The main concern I see with The Keystone Pipeline is; the contractors build it Safe and build it with Safety contingencies. Under the Trump admin he can do three things protect the Land and Peoples jobs and bring down the Price for Gas for everyone. I love the idea of harnessing our own energy! Energy dependence on OPEC? Will be a thing of the past!
IMUA President Trump IMUA! Keep up the Good Work!
Keystone has nothing to do with the price of gas, and, in fact (not “alternative fact”), studies have shown that it will raise the price of gas in the Midwest. It’s foreign oil, very dirty, corrosive oil that will enter the US across our northern border and exit the US from refineries in Texas and be sold overseas.
Yes it will BS! Please research…… Stop it with The Doom and Gloom Fake News.Not Working bro! You’re only fueling more hatred and divide!
See this is what i mean Liberals can’t take it! They have to Drop-In your wave to get a ride! They have nothing!
irt Post Election deniers: Someone had an excellent analogy today. “The Libs have become Unhinged”. lol. Now who said that?
CBS News: “the pipeline could cause gas prices to rise, especially in the Midwest. That’s because the oil that would be transported is not intended for American consumers. Rather, the Canadian oil currently sent to refineries in Illinois, Ohio and elsewhere in the Midwest would end up being diverted to Keystone, chiefly for export to markets overseas.
“’Midwest drivers would be hardest hit because the region currently imports more than half of its oil for refining from Canada,’ according to Consumer Watchdog, a nonprofit public interest group. ‘Increases at the pump could range from 25 cents to 40 cents a gallon, depending on how regional refineries respond to paying $20 to $30 more per 42-gallon barrel for Canadian crude oil.’
“A 2011 report by Cornell University’s Global Labor Institute projected that the Keystone’s rerouting of oil from the Midwest would end up costing the region up to $4 billion in higher gas prices, which it said would ‘suppress other spending and will therefore cost jobs.’”
geez…. it’s officially day 2……..on the job………it took God 7 days
Trump is not going to let the pipeline carry Canadian oil through the US heartland, risking the health and welfare of his land and people, just to go and sell it to China.
Trump will put a stop to that so we can use the oil here and pay less for gas.
“Make China Great” is not Trump’s motto. He’d have to be a moron to do that, and he’s a genius.
You’ll see.
“Both pipelines will strongly contribute to our energy independence and ultimately to our financial and strategic strength.”
Keystone is Canadian oil.
Tell me supporters. Would you be OK with an oil pipeline submerged a mile upstream from your drinking water source? I will call you a lier if you say anything but no.
We’re the largest refiner of crude oil in the world and the second largest producer of oil in the world. What’s our oil money paying for? Oh right…most oil companies don’t actually pay a federal tax bill, while they rely on our federally funded infrastructure and our military protected shipping lanes.
Trump is stimulating the U.S. economy with advancing the pipeline construction, provided U.S. workers are employed to construct and operate the pipelines. I am all for that. Today he meet with the heads of the auto industry to discuss ways to stimulate the industry that benefits U.S. workers and the economy. I am all for that too.
Trump should tell the auto folks to produce more and cheaper “electric” cars. However he can’t do that since battery run cars won’t consume gas nor need oil changes.
Trump knows that pipelines don’t create hardly any jobs once they’re built, so he must be planning to capture the Canadian oil to power all of the factories he’s going to build.
Didn’t you listen to his fantastic inauguration speech? There’s no way he would allow our tax dollars to be used to support sending oil to “Make China Great” and “Make Canada Great”.
You’ll see.
Get that sleeping hydrocarbon out of the ground and put it to work. Millions of btu’s to power mankinds ascent to comfort, advancement, and higher civilization.
per 2016 Election Disclosure Trump owns between $15 – $50,000 in stock of Texas based Energy Transfer Partners – BUILDERS of the pipeline. per 2015 Election Disclosure stocks of $100 – $250,000 in Phillips 66 – which has a quarter share of Dakota Access, partner builder of pipeline. Trump’s appointment of the Energy Secretary is from the industry….. self-profiting
does $300k really matter to someone worth Billions? Trump said he would not take the $400k presidential salary so I doubt he is worried about stock values increasing by such amount. Many people have their wealth distributed among many sectors, does not make them dishonest…
“The memo orders the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers to review and approve construction and easement requests in an expedited manner…”
Don’t fret…it is going to be approved as the instructions indicate.
You left off the critical words that follow your quotation. The Executive Order said, “review and approve in an expedited manner, to the extent permitted by law.” Trump’s Executive Order is a bit of kabuki showmanship. He doesn’t have the power to cancel environmental reviews that are statutorily mandated.
The “America First” President just gave the green light to a Canadian company to build a pipeline across American soil that transports Canadian Oil to sell to China….
there is nothing wrong with building pipelines we already have a hundred thousand miles of pipeline looked up and compared oil coming through the pipeline compared to hauling oil on trains and trucks trains and trucks are the worst way to transport oil it is a way to really hurt the environment if the train or truck crashes and spills all its oil. its safer to use the pipeline and it does not hurt the environment