Lou Barletta : Barletta Statement on Trump Approval of Keystone XL, Dakota Access Pipelines

WASHINGTON - Congressman Lou Barletta (PA-11) today issued a statement regarding President Trump's executive actions to clear the way for the Keystone XL and Dakota Access pipeline projects. The Obama Administration had held up both projects, most notably Keystone XL, which has been in the works for more than eight years.

The Keystone XL pipeline, which would run from Alberta, Canada to Nebraska, would allow crude oil to flow all the way to the Gulf Coast. The Dakota Access pipeline is planned to stretch across North Dakota, South Dakota, Iowa, and Illinois. The completion of the pipelines would create manufacturing jobs in Pennsylvania, thousands of construction jobs nationally, and establish reliable supplies of energy.

Barletta issued the following statement:

'This is a tremendous victory for energy production and job creation over special interests and extreme environmentalist ideology. President Trump's actions fulfill campaign promises he made to greenlight these projects and inject much-needed life into the economy, both nationally and in Pennsylvania, where workers in the manufacturing industry will benefit.

'Kick-starting these projects means jobs, but it also means greater American energy independence and lower fuel prices for consumers. There had never been any reason to oppose these pipelines, other than rigid ideology. I am pleased that the barriers have been removed.'