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A4 U.S. NEWS
Saturday 10 November 2018
Another Keystone XL setback: environmental review ordered

By MATTHEW DALY political decision" and "a approval of the project on the pipeline's viability; tion's largest environmental
WASHINGTON (AP) — In disgrace." with years of delay under updated modeling of po- group.
a setback for the Trump The 1,184-mile (1,900 kilo- President Barack Obama. tential oil spills; and the The fight over the proj-
administration, a federal meter) pipeline would be- The Trump administration project's effect on cultural ect has spanned several
judge has blocked a per- gin in Alberta and shuttle has not said whether it resources of native tribes presidencies and involved
mit for construction of the as much as 830,000 barrels would appeal the new rul- and other groups along the standoffs between protest-
Keystone XL oil pipeline a day of crude through a ing. The State Department pipeline's route. ers and law enforcement.
from Canada and ordered half dozen states to termi- said it was reviewing the The review could take up After years of legal wran-
officials to conduct a new nals on the Gulf Coast. decision, but declined fur- to a year to complete. gling, Obama rejected
environmental review. Trump has touted the $8 ther comment, citing on- Environmentalists and Na- a permit for the pipeline
Environmentalists and tribal billion pipeline as part of his going litigation. tive American groups had in 2015. The company re-
groups cheered the ruling pledge to achieve North The pipeline was first pro- sued to stop the project, sponded by seeking $15
by a U.S. district judge in American "energy domi- posed by Calgary-based citing property rights and billion in damages.
Montana, while President nance" and has contrasted TransCanada in 2008. It has possible spills. Trump signed executive
Donald Trump called it "a his administration's quick become the focal point Becky Mitchell, chairwom- actions to again advance

This Nov. 6, 2015, file photo shows a sign for TransCanada's Keystone pipeline facilities in Hardisty,
Alberta, Canada.
Associated Press

of a decade-long dispute an of the Northern Plains construction of the project
that pits Democrats, envi- Resource Council, a plain- in 2017.
ronmental groups and Na- tiff in the case, said her or- TransCanada had recently
tive American tribes who ganization is thrilled with announced plans to start
warn of pollution and in- the ruling. construction next year, af-
creased greenhouse gas "This decision sends Trans- ter a State Department
emissions against business Canada back to the draw- review ordered by Morris
groups and Republicans ing board," Mitchell said, concluded that major en-
who cheer the project's calling the ruling "the results vironmental damage from
jobs and potential energy of grassroots democracy in a leak is unlikely and could
production. action, winning for water quickly be mitigated. Morris
U.S. District Judge Brian and people." said that review was inad-
Morris put a hold on the TransCanada said in a equate.
project late Thursday, ruling statement that it was re- TransCanada has promised
that the State Department viewing the judge's 54- continuous monitoring and
had not fully considered page decision. "We remain says automatic shut-off
potential oil spills and other committed to building this valves would help officials
impacts as required by fed- important energy infra- quickly identify a leak or
eral law. He ordered the structure project," Trans- rupture.
department to complete a Canada spokesman Terry Tom Goldtooth, executive
new review that addresses Cunha said. director for the Indigenous
issues that have emerged Environmental groups de- Environmental Network, a
since the last environmen- clared victory and predict- Minnesota-based advo-
tal review was completed ed the long-delayed proj- cacy group that also is a
in 2014. ect will never be built. plaintiff in the case, said the
New topics include the cu- The court ruling "makes it ruling was a win for tribes,
mulative effects of climate- clear once and for all that water "and for the sacred-
changing greenhouse gas it's time for TransCanada to ness of Mother Earth."
emissions of Keystone XL give up on their Keystone He called the pipeline "the
and a related pipeline that XL pipe dream," said Doug enemy of the people, the
brings oil from Canada; the Hayes, a senior attorney climate and life as we know
effects of current oil prices with the Sierra Club, the na- it. It must be stopped."q