House Republican leaders welcomed executive action taken by President Donald Trump on Tuesday to revive the permitting process for the Keystone XL and Dakota Access pipelines, and to expedite agency reviews.
U.S. Rep. Bill Shuster (R-PA), the chairman of the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee, noted that Trump had promised to immediately improve America’s infrastructure and put the nation on the path of economic growth and job creation.
“For years, Republicans in Congress have been fighting to streamline the federal bureaucracy that prevents economic growth, and President Trump’s actions (on Tuesday) are a welcome step in the right direction,” Shuster said. “I look forward to working with the president and my colleagues in Congress to help build a 21st century infrastructure, promote our economic competitiveness, and create opportunities for all Americans.”
Trump formally invited TransCanada to reapply for a presidential permit for the construction of Keystone XL, and he ordered the U.S. Army Corps of engineers and other agencies to expedite project reviews.
U.S. Rep. Jim Renacci (R-OH), a member of the House Ways and Means Committee, said he’s always supported a comprehensive energy plan that includes natural gas, coal and American-made oil — in addition to alternative energy sources like wind, solar, hydropower and nuclear.
“Building these two pipelines will make this energy plan a reality that will inevitably lower fuel prices for Americans,” Renacci said. “We’ve seen multiple studies and surveys on these pipelines proving they would have little impact on the environment or cultural heritage sites. I’m looking forward to the economic stimulation these two pipelines will spur.”
The Keystone XL Pipeline, which would shuttle crude oil from Canada to refineries on the Gulf Coast, requires a presidential permit because it crosses an international border. The Dakota Access Pipeline, meanwhile, would transport crude oil from oil fields in North Dakota to oil tanks in Illinois.
U.S. Reps. Greg Walden (R-OR), chairman of the House Energy and Commerce Committee, Fred Upton (R-MI), chairman of the Subcommittee on Energy, and John Shimkus (R-IL), chairman of the Subcommittee on Environment, applauded Trump’s executive action in a joint statement.
“We welcome (Tuesday’s) news and we’re looking forward to working with a president and an administration that value American energy affordability, jobs, security and new infrastructure development,” the lawmakers said. “It is time for the federal government to stop picking winners and losers in the energy sector.”