Trump’s Decision Betrays our Children’s and Future Generations
Washington, DC —(ENEWSPF)–March 24, 2017. Today, Donald Trump reversed President Barack Obama’s decision rejecting the Keystone XL pipeline, granting TransCanada the federal cross-border permit required to construct the tar sands project into the U.S. The announcement is merely one step in the process required for construction to begin; additional state-level approvals are still required in Nebraska, where the pipeline would cross, and from other federal agencies such as the Army Corps of Engineers.
Earlier this year, in a joint session before Congress, Trump claimed that the pipeline would be constructed with American-made steel.However, days later, the White House admitted that this is not the case. According to reports, the White House reversed the decision after TransCanada threatened to continue its $15 billion Investor State Dispute Settlement (ISDS) suit under NAFTA, which it brought after President Barack Obama rejected the pipeline. The company had suspended its NAFTA suit until March 27, which was the deadline for the final federal permitting decision to be made on the Keystone XL pipeline.
Recent polling has shown that public opposition to the Keystone XL pipeline continues to rise. Quinnipiac University found that 51 percent of Americans now oppose the pipeline, while only 38 percent support it.
In response, Sierra Club Executive Director Michael Brune released the following statement:
“The dirty and dangerous Keystone XL pipeline is one of the worst deals imaginable for the American people, so of course Donald Trump supports it. This project has already been defeated, and it will be once again. The project faces a long fight ahead in the states, but the fact remains that the American people do not want more fossil fuels, we do not want our private and public lands destroyed by a pipeline carrying the dirtiest fuel around, and we do not want our future and our children’s future to continue be threatened by climate change.
“We’re living in what feels to be the worst version of Groundhog Day imaginable, as every morning we’re waking up to yet another decision made by Trump that would be disastrous for our climate, our communities, and our health — but Trump will not succeed. The pipeline will pollute our air and water, destroy farmers’ and ranchers’ property, and enrich the foreign oil barons and corporate polluters that have been stocking Trump’s cabinet and pulling his strings from the get-go.
“Ultimately, Trump’s announcement today will become just the latest decision he makes that results in failure.”
Source: http://Sierraclub.org
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‘Disaster’: Trump Administration Signs Off on Keystone XL Pipeline
