ABC News(WASHINGTON) — The White House announced Friday it has signed off on the Keystone XL oil pipeline, authorizing the Canadian company behind the project to begin construction.
According to a press release from the Department of State, a presidential permit was issued to TransCanada Corp., authorizing the energy firm “to construct, connect, operate, and maintain pipeline facilities at the U.S.-Canadian border in Phillips County, Montana, for the importation of crude oil.”
Secretary of State Rex Tillerson recused himself from any decision involving the Keystone pipeline because of his previous role as the head of ExxonMobil. The department announced his recusal earlier this month, but said he made the decision as soon as he took office in early February.
The presidential permit was signed by Thomas Shannon, the undersecretary of state for political affairs.
“In making his determination that issuance of this permit would serve the national interest, the Under Secretary considered a range of factors, including but not limited to foreign policy; energy security; environmental, cultural, and economic impacts; and compliance with applicable law and policy,” the State department’s press release said.
The Keystone pipeline would carry oil from the tar sands of Canada to Nebraska, where it would connect with other pipelines down to the Gulf of Mexico. It requires federal approval because it crosses an international border.
Environmental groups slammed the Trump administration’s decision to grant the permit, arguing that the fossil fuel project will exacerbate climate change.
“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,” Sierra Club executive director Michael Brune said in a statement Friday. “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 State Department just sent a signal to the rest of the world that the United States government is moving backwards when it comes to climate and energy,” according to a statement from Greenpeace USA executive director Annie Leonard Friday. “The world simply cannot afford to transport or burn the Canadian tar sands if we hope to have any chance at avoiding catastrophic climate change. Keystone was stopped once before, and it will be stopped again.”
Friday’s announcement came two months after President Trump signed memorandums aimed at advancing both the Keystone XL and Dakota Access pipelines, a move which pleased supporters of the projects and brought immediate condemnation from environmentalists and other opponents.
The Keystone memorandum, which was addressed to the departments of State, the Army and the Interior, sought to restart the presidential permit process for TransCanada. It also called on the State Department to decide within 60 days, utilizing the environmental impact study from 2014, as opposed to starting from scratch. The memo also asked the Interior Department and Army Corps of Engineers to expedite the decision.
The State department’s decision to issue the permit follows years of reviews under President Barack Obama, whose administration ultimately denied TransCanada’s application.
“Secretary Kerry informed me that, after extensive public outreach and consultation with other Cabinet agencies, the State Department has decided that the Keystone XL Pipeline would not serve the national interest of the United States. I agree with that decision,” Obama said in 2015 remarks rejecting the project.
Given the Obama administration’s denial of a permit, critics questioned what new information the Trump administration was considering that could lead to a different conclusion.
“We did do an extensive review previously, but we’re looking at new factors. I don’t want to speak to those until we’ve reached a decision or conclusion,” State department spokesperson Mark Toner said at a press briefing Thursday.
When questioned on how two administrations could look at the same evidence and make different conclusions, Toner told reporters, “Our review, previous review stands. Those conclusions stand. I think we’re just looking at it with fresh eyes and trying to see if there’s any new factors to look at and consider.”
Trump has promised nearly 30,000 jobs as a result of the construction of the Keystone pipeline. But according to the 2013 State department report on Keystone, the majority of the jobs created by the Keystone pipeline are temporary, with only 35 listed as permanent jobs.
In a 2014 interview with ABC News, TransCanada CEO Russ Girling said the thousands of jobs created will be during the major construction period.
“Yes, the actual operating jobs are about 50,” Girling said. “But that doesn’t include all the other jobs that come with it.”
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