Trump signs executive orders advancing controversial pipelines2:13
U.S. President Donald Trump signs executive orders on the Keystone XL and Dakota Access pipelines saying, "we are going to renegotiate some of the terms."
President Donald Trump shows off his signature on an executive order about the Dakota Access pipeline, in the Oval Office of the White House in Washington on Tuesday. Picture: Evan Vucci/AP
US President Donald Trump has revived two oil pipeline projects blocked by his predecessor on environmental grounds, signalling his determination to undo Barack Obama’s legacy.
Mr Trump gave a conditional go-ahead to the Keystone XL pipeline, which would carry oil from Canadian tar sands to US refineries on the Gulf Coast, and an equally controversial pipeline crossing in North Dakota.
Both had been put on hold by president Barack Obama’s administration on environmental grounds.
However, since being sworn in to office last Friday Mr Trump has begun rolling out an orthodox Republican agenda.
He has moved to curb funding for abortions, embraced Israel, frozen government hiring and sought to loosen environmental regulations.
The Trump administration has also sought to place a tighter grip on departments that may not be sympathetic to his politics.
On day one, his Interior Department ordered staff to report any correspondence from Congress, governors, environmental groups or industry organisations, according to an internal memo obtained by AFP.
Protesters rally against the Dakota Access Pipeline in California. Picture: Michael Owen Baker/APSource:AP
Certain meetings, regulations and environmental notices are also to be reported to the department’s executive secretariat.
“No correspondence should be cleared to go to Congress or to any Governor until it has been reviewed by the Acting Chief of Staff and/or Senior White House Advisor,” the document states.
Mr Trump has also sought to put his nationalist and populist print on policy, especially on the economy and trade.
True to his claim to be a hard-charging deal-maker, Mr Trump said both pipeline projects would only be built subject to renegotiated terms and conditions.
“It is subject to a renegotiation of terms, by us,” Mr Trump said.
“We are going to renegotiate some of the terms and, if they like, we’ll see if we can get that pipeline built.”
MADE IN THE USA
The freshly minted president indicated that one possible focus of the renegotiation could be who makes the actual piping.
In a separate executive order issued on Tuesday, Mr Trump decreed that pipes should be American made — echoing his “America First” doctrine.
“I am very insistent that if we are going to build pipelines in the United States the pipes should be made in the United States,” Mr Trump said.
“We want to build the pipe, put a lot of steel workers back to work.”
Protesters against the Dakota Access Pipeline rappel from the catwalk after placing a banner in US Bank Stadium during an NFL football game between the Minnesota Vikings and Chicago Bears in Minneapolis earlier this month. Picture: Andy Clayton-King/APSource:AP
Most, although not all, oil pipelines are buried underground and made of carbon steel.
Mr Obama had rejected a permit from Calgary-based firm TransCanada to build the 1900 kilometre Alberta-Nebraska section of the project.
Environmentalists have assailed the project, arguing that the Alberta deposits produce some of the “dirtiest” crude in the world.
The Canadian government led by Prime Minister Justin Trudeau has cautiously supported the plan, seeing it as a means of boosting business.
But Canada’s liberal leader has also helped lead the international charge against climate warming.
DAKOTA CHILL
The Dakota Access Pipeline is more of a political hot potato in the United States.
Native Americans and their supporters strongly protested against the project, prompting the US Army Corps of engineers, which has approval authority, to nix the plans under the Obama administration.
Thousands of protesters had camped in freezing winter temperatures to block the pipeline’s planned route which the Standing Rock Sioux Tribe says creates a risk of water pollution and endangers areas with sacred historic artefacts.
The standoff, which included 2000 military veterans who joined the protest, set off violent clashes with police as well as sympathetic demonstrations nationwide.
But Mr Trump has supported the pipeline, which would snake through four US states.
Environmental groups vowed to fight the pipeline in court and the Standing Rock Sioux Tribe accused Mr Trump of violating treaty rights.
“We are not opposed to energy independence. We are opposed to reckless and politically motivated development projects ... that ignore our treaty rights and risk our water,” said Dave Archambault, chairman of the group.
Native American and other activists celebrate after learning an easement had been denied for the Dakota Access Pipeline at Oceti Sakowin Camp on the edge of the Standing Rock Sioux Reservation on outside Cannon Ball, North Dakota, last month. Picture: Scott Olson/Getty Images/AFPSource:AFP
‘DON’T DRINK THE WATER’
Meanwhile, the Army Corps of Engineers is studying alternative routes for the Dakota Access pipeline.
Mr Trump has described the regulatory process as a “tangled up mess” and said if the answer is no, it should be a quick no. If the answer is yes, then Mr Trump said “let’s start building.”
US President Barack Obama killed the proposed Keystone XL pipeline in late 2015, saying it would hurt American efforts to reach a global climate change deal.
The pipeline would run from Canada to US refineries in the Gulf Coast and the US government needs to approve the pipeline because it crossed the border.
The Army decided last year to explore alternate routes for the Dakota pipeline after the Standing Rock Sioux tribe and its supporters said the pipeline threatened drinking water and Native American cultural sites.
The furore over the pipeline comes as the Trump administration instituted a media blackout at the Environmental Protection Agency and barred staff from awarding any new contracts or grants.
Emails sent to EPA staff since President Donald Trump’s inauguration on Friday and reviewed by The Associated Press detailed the specific prohibitions banning press releases, blog updates or posts to the agency’s social media accounts.
The Trump administration has also ordered a “temporary suspension” of all new business activities at the department, including issuing task orders or work assignments to EPA contractors.
The orders are expected to have a significant and immediate impact on EPA activities nationwide.
The EPA did not respond to phone calls and emails requesting comment Monday or Tuesday.
