Washington, D.C. - House Energy and Commerce Committee member Kelly Armstrong (R-ND) spoke at a forum on the Keystone XL pipeline and the effect its cancelation by President Joe Biden has on American jobs and the environment. Watch live here.
Excerpts and highlights from his prepared remarks:
Ending Keystone XL Means Less Jobs and Revenue
“When President Biden revoked the Presidential Permit for Keystone XL earlier this year, he put thousands out of work and inflicted substantial damage to countless communities along the route of the pipeline.
“It’s not just those that work directly on the pipeline. It’s lost income for waiters in local restaurants. It’s lost jobs for contractors slated to service the project. It’s lost business for the mom-and-pop stores in nearly every small town along the pipeline.
“And it’s lost revenue for local governments that were slated to receive millions in taxes due to the project."
Keystone XL Benefits the Environment
“All of this begs the question of why?
“We know there is demand in the global marketplace for petroleum products and this oil will get to those markets.
“Killing the Keystone XL pipeline doesn’t stop the oil, it just means that it will be transported by rail and truck, increasing emissions.
“According to estimates, moving the oil by other means will result in a net increase of 1.5 million tons of CO2, which is equivalent to 490,000 cars on the road.
“We saw this firsthand in Western North Dakota during the Bakken shale boom.
“Without pipelines there are more oil tankers on the rails, which means skyrocketing transportation rates for other products from corn, to freight, to everything in between.
“Without pipelines, there are more trucks on the road, which means more wear and tear and significantly increased traffic.
“Pipelines are safe, efficient, reliable, help reduce emissions, and bring substantial benefits to rural communities.
“Projects like Keystone XL must be allowed to move forward to protect the economic well being and national security of the United States."
