In President Biden’s first day in office an executive order was issued that put an end to the Keystone XL pipeline in the United States. The Pipeline served as a mode of transportation for oil from Canada into the States.
The XL is an extension of the original keystone that was thought up in 2008 when oil prices were through the roof before the recession. Canada approved the Pipeline in 2010, but President Obama and the US government stalled out conversations through 2015. The pipeline faced opposition due to a threat of oil spills and the damage the pipes could do to ecosystems. However, President Trump approved the pipeline within his first month in office, with a new permit that streamlined the process by disregarding environmental due diligence.
Following the results of the election, TC Energy Corp (the company behind the pipeline) preemptively attempted to salvage the pipeline’s standing in the US by offering 1.7 billion dollars in spending on alternative energy sources. These lofty spending goals did not seem to sway the President’s decision as he believes that the pipeline does not serve the interests of the country. Canadian Prime Minister Trudeau has been an avid supporter of the pipeline and has expressed disagreement with President Biden’s decision.
Based on the quickness with which President Biden cancelled the pipeline and rejoined the Paris Climate Agreement, this administration’s goals of combating climate change and moving towards clean energy is clear.
Sources
https://www.wsj.com/articles/what-is-the-keystone-xl-pipeline-and-why-did-president-biden-issue-an-executive-order-to-block-it-11611240342?mod=searchresults_pos5&page=1
https://www.axios.com/biden-trudeau-keystone-pipeline-9525ba8a-29fc-4950-937b-87a446edf161.html
https://www.keystonexl.com/maps/