Signed on Tuesday, President Trump’s executive orders advance the construction of the Keystone XL and Dakota Access pipelines, reduce regulations and expedite environmental reviews and approvals.
Due to environmental concerns, former President Barack Obama halted the construction of the pipelines. The Dakota Access Pipeline plans to construct a 1,172-mile route to efficiently transport crude oil, cutting through sacred lands of North Dakota, South Dakota, Iowa and Illinois. Native American tribes expressed that the pipeline construction would damage their sacred sites and violate tribal treaty rights. Environmental activists and protesters argue this project will likely contaminate the Missouri River, a critical water source for millions of people. Environmental activists and protesters, including Native Americans from over 100 tribes and United States veterans, resisted both the Keystone XL and that the Dakota Access pipelines. Hundreds of protesters at the Stand with Standing Rock peaceful protests suffered injuries when law enforcement and the National Guard used sub-lethal weapons against the unarmed protesters such as sound cannons, water cannons, tear gas and concussion grenades. In November, police in riot gear used water cannons against the protestors in subfreezing weather for hours.
TransCanada proposed Keystone XL would carry 800,000 barrels per day, traveling from Canadian oil sands to the Gulf Coast. The New York Times claims “the State Department estimated that Keystone would support 42,000 temporary jobs for two years — about 3,900 of them in construction and the rest through indirect support, like food service — but only 35 permanent jobs.” Environmentalists argue this pipeline would encourage an oil extraction method that produces more greenhouse gasses than normal petroleum. In 2015, Barack Obama rejected this proposal after years of waiting and claimed to do this in efforts to reduce emissions. Notably, the term “climate change” has been removed from the White House website immediately after Inauguration Day.
During his first week in office, President Trump signed the executive orders, keeping one of his most controversial campaign promises. Trump stated the reason for prioritizing the construction of the pipelines is to put American people to work: “we will build our own pipeline, we will build our own pipes.” He said the projects may or may not follow through due to a necessary renegotiation of terms, but he made it clear he wants to begin building as soon as possible. This is shown when Trump signed another executive order to streamline the permitting process and reduce regulations for domestic manufacture.