Joe Biden has revoked permission for the construction of the Keystone XL pipeline. The project would have been the final phase of the already existing Keystone pipeline that moves crude oil from Alberta, Canada to oil refineries on the Gulf Coast of Texas. Biden’s move was met with a sharp rebuke from worker’s unions and also the Government of Canada, who had a preexisting deal in place with President Trump.
There are currently no less than 80 pipelines crossing the United States / Canada border filled with oil or natural gas. In the United States, there are about 190,000 square miles of pipeline carrying liquid petroleum. Not much of a stir was ever made about any of these. For some reason, the construction of Keystone XL was met with a ton of resistance that became a social media movement.
The Dakota Access Pipeline (DAPL) near the Standing Rock Indian Reservation became a hot button issue for quite a few months with long-standing protests. The reservation, which lies in both North and South Dakota, became a springboard for protests against not only the Keystone XL pipeline but also fossil fuels in general. An oil spill from the pipeline near this location was cited as reason for the protest. The protest, along with other political pressure, may have caused then-President Obama to veto the final phase of the pipeline. Ironically enough, it was Obama himself who approved the larger Keystone pipeline that currently exists and is operational.
President Trump came along and reversed Obama’s order and allowed for the pipeline’s construction. Much of Keystone XL has already been constructed as of 2021. Biden reversed the order again back to what Obama put in place years prior, therefore not only instantly crushing thousands of jobs, but wasting a lot of time that was spent on the project Trump approved.
SOURCES:
Trudeau stresses “disappointment” with Keystone XL in first official call with Biden
Joe Biden putting ‘Saudi Arabia first’ by halting Keystone XL pipeline: Sen. Daines | Fox News
Canada Pipeline Maps & Facts | Trans Mountain Pipeline, Keystone XL, Enbridge Line 3
Dakota Access protest camp: Crews haul off 48 million pounds of garbage, debris – Washington Times
Red Sea oil tanker 4 times as big as Exxon Valdez could spill any day now | Live Science
Lynchburg, Virginia train derailment spills crude oil into James River | CBC News
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