Keystone XL pipeline project terminated by developer following legal battle News
LoggaWiggler / Pixabay
Keystone XL pipeline project terminated by developer following legal battle

The developer of the Keystone XL gas pipeline confirmed its decision to terminate the controversial project Wednesday, marking the end of a decade-long legal battle.

TC Energy ceased the pipeline construction in January after President Joe Biden revoked a necessary presidential permit. The permit, issued by the Trump administration in 2017, allowed TC Energy, a Canadian company, to construct the pipeline and maintain facilities in a Montana county. Twenty-one states sued Biden’s administration over the decision.

In a statement contained in the confirmation press release, TC Energy’s President and CEO François Poirier expressed the company’s gratitude toward their supporters, including the government of Alberta, trade unions, local communities and indigenous groups, among others. He stated that TC Energy “developed meaningful Indigenous equity opportunities” as well as an “industry leading plan to operate the pipeline with net-zero emissions throughout its lifecycle.” The company plans to keep identifying areas to apply its technologies, including its “current evaluation of the potential to power existing U.S. assets with renewable energy.”

Over the project’s duration Keystone pipeline became a key issue in environmental policy and public discourse, symbolizing the entire debate surrounding the effect of fossil fuels on climate change. Sierra Club Executive Director Michael Brune said on Twitter:

For 13 years, an international movement of frontline communities in the U.S. and Canada, Indigenous leaders, and environmentalists fought back against this terrible proposed project at every turn. Today, we can say yet again, that our efforts were a resounding success. The end of Keystone XL is a testament to what we can accomplish when we come together with the shared goal of protecting our communities, our clean water, and the climate. This is a major victory for our movement, and it won’t be the last.