On Monday, Republican U.S. President Donald Trump expressed his support for the construction of the Keystone XL Pipeline and promised expedited regulatory approvals for the project. The pipeline faced opposition from environmentalists for many years before the Biden administration revoked its permit.
The pipeline, initially proposed in 2008 to transport oil from Canada's Western tar sands to U.S. refiners, was halted in 2021 by TC Energy Corp, the former owner, after a key permit necessary for the U.S. section of the project was revoked by the previous Democratic administration.
In a social media post, Trump encouraged the pipeline's construction company to "come back to America," ensuring swift approvals and an immediate commencement under his administration. Trump highlighted the disparity between his administration's approach and that of the Biden administration, emphasizing swift approvals.
Although Trump did not mention a specific company in his post, he alluded to the company previously involved in constructing the pipeline. TC Energy separated its oil pipeline division last October into a new entity called South Bow Energy.
Critics of the pipeline have long argued against its necessity and its potential to impede the U.S. transition to cleaner energy sources. The Keystone XL pipeline was intended to transport 830,000 barrels per day of Alberta oil sands crude to Nebraska but faced delays due to opposition from U.S. landowners, Native American tribes, and environmental activists.
Despite Trump granting a permit for the project in 2017, ongoing legal challenges hindered its progress. President Biden, who pledged to halt the project during his 2020 campaign, revoked the permit soon after assuming office in 2021.