Environment and Energy

Keystone XL Pipeline Faces Yet Another Delay

November 12, 2018

The Keystone XL pipeline, which was given the go-ahead by an executive order from President Trump, has been blocked once again by a federal judge in Montana, who ruled that the administration had not considered all the potential impacts of the project as required by law. The decision could further stall the controversial pipeline, which has already faced a decade of delays from protests by environmental groups, Native Americans and farmers, as well as opposition from the Obama administration.

Calgary-based TransCanada hopes to extend the pipeline from Alberta across the border to Nebraska, where it would link up with existing pipelines to Gulf Coast refineries. Keystone XL could transport up to 830,000 barrels per day from Canada’s oil sands.

Pointing to the jobs the pipeline project would create, President Trump called the judge’s ruling “political” and “a disgrace.” The government is likely to appeal the case to the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit.

The latest ruling does not permanently block a federal permit for Keystone XL, but does require the administration to conduct a more complete review of its potential adverse impacts, reported The Washington Post.

In a statement, TransCanada said “we remain committed to building this important energy infrastructure project.”