(Washington D.C.) President-elect Joe Biden has indicated plans to cancel the Keystone XL pipeline permit via executive action on his first day in office. This is part of a 10 day blitz of executive actions that will be carried out after inauguration on Wednesday to redirect the U.S. in the wake of Trump’s disastrous presidency. In May 2020, then Presidential candidate Biden pledged to revoke the KeystoneXL permit after pressure from Indigenous tribes, farmers, and climate activists.
Keep It In the Ground Campaign Manager Kendall Mackey made the following statement:
“The Biden administration halting the Keystone XL pipeline is a momentous sign that he is listening, taking action, and making good on his promises to people and the planet. This decision to halt the Keystone XL pipeline on day one in office sets a precedent that all permitting decisions must pass a climate test and respect Indigenous rights. We expect the administration to make similar announcements on Dakota Access Pipeline and Line 3.
“We celebrate this great victory and the powerful movement to keep fossil fuels in the ground. By ensuring that KeystoneXL is reversed, Biden is standing on the side of tribal nations, farmers, ranchers, and many communities whose livelihoods would be wrecked by this dirty pipeline. We look forward to working with the administration to ensure that real climate action that transitions us off fossil fuels and to a just renewable energy economy is a cornerstone of Biden’s legacy over the next four years.”
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