US President Donald Trump has infuriated environmentalists by signing executive orders that support two controversial oil pipelines.
The new Republican president backed the Keystone XL and Dakota Access projects, provided American steel is used.
The Obama administration in late 2015 halted Keystone, which would carry crude from Canada to Texas.
Over the course of the Obama presidency, the Keystone XL Pipeline became more than just another energy industry construction project. It grew into a high-profile proxy fight between environmentalists and oil-and-gas advocates; liberals and conservatives; pro-regulation activists and small-government true believers.
On the campaign trail Donald Trump often cited the Obama administration's reluctance to green-light the project as prima facie evidence of the Democratic Party's anti-business attitudes. Now, with the swipe of a pen, he's set make it much easier for the project to be completed - assuming the involved company still wants it.
Perhaps of more immediate concern is Mr Trump's move to fast-track approval of the Dakota Access Pipeline, which was the focus of vigorous protests from Native American tribes in 2016. Unlike Keystone, that project has not been held in limbo for years.
Mr Trump's actions do not mean the end of the fight over US pipeline construction, however. Opponents will continue to argue that they jeopardise sensitive environmental areas and violate private property rights. Now, however, instead of appealing to a potentially friendly Democratic administration, they will take the battle to the courts.The Army decided last year to explore other routes for the Dakota pipeline amid huge protests by Native Americans.
source:-BBC
The new Republican president backed the Keystone XL and Dakota Access projects, provided American steel is used.
The Obama administration in late 2015 halted Keystone, which would carry crude from Canada to Texas.
Over the course of the Obama presidency, the Keystone XL Pipeline became more than just another energy industry construction project. It grew into a high-profile proxy fight between environmentalists and oil-and-gas advocates; liberals and conservatives; pro-regulation activists and small-government true believers.
On the campaign trail Donald Trump often cited the Obama administration's reluctance to green-light the project as prima facie evidence of the Democratic Party's anti-business attitudes. Now, with the swipe of a pen, he's set make it much easier for the project to be completed - assuming the involved company still wants it.
Perhaps of more immediate concern is Mr Trump's move to fast-track approval of the Dakota Access Pipeline, which was the focus of vigorous protests from Native American tribes in 2016. Unlike Keystone, that project has not been held in limbo for years.
Mr Trump's actions do not mean the end of the fight over US pipeline construction, however. Opponents will continue to argue that they jeopardise sensitive environmental areas and violate private property rights. Now, however, instead of appealing to a potentially friendly Democratic administration, they will take the battle to the courts.The Army decided last year to explore other routes for the Dakota pipeline amid huge protests by Native Americans.
source:-BBC
