Trump Revives Keystone, Dakota Pipelines Despite Controversy

President Donald Trump moved to continue the construction of the Keystone XL and Dakota Access oil pipelines Tuesday.
  
He also signed a notice requiring the pipeline materials to be constructed in the United States, a fulfillment of his campaign promises to create more jobs for more Americans. 

"I am very insistent that if we're going to build pipelines in the United States, the pipe should be made in the United States," he told reporters.
  
The measure is surrounded by controversy, with many saying it is an assault on the environment. 

However, a 2014 State Department report detailed findings showing the pipeline will not have a major impact on the environment. 

"Time and time again, State reaches the same conclusion despite the unprecedented and thorough environmental review," said Cindy Schild, the American Petroleum Institute's senior manager for oil sands policy. "It is hard to figure out how they could conclude that it is not in the national interest."

A State Department report says other options like installing a railway would actually do more damage to the environment than a pipeline would. 

However, despite the arguments over what the pipeline will or won't do to the environment, White House press secretary Sean Spicer says it is all about getting Americans back to work again. 

The project would create nearly 2,000 construction jobs in Montana, South Dakota, Nebraska and Kansas over a two-year period. 

"It's good for economic growth, it's good for jobs, and it's good for American energy," Spicer said. 

Stephen Brown, Vice president of federal government affairs at Tesoro companies agrees. 

"Making American energy great again starts with infrastructure projects like these that move resources safely and efficiently," Brown told The Washington Post.

"We are pleased to see the new direction being taken by this administration to recognize the importance of our nation's energy infrastructure by restoring the rule of law in the permitting process that's critical to pipelines and other infrastructure projects," said Jack Gerard, president of the American Petroleum Institute.

Americans have historically been in favor the Keystone XL project even when former President Obama rejected it. According to an October 2015 Washington Post-ABC News poll, 55 percent wanted the next president to support building the Keystone oil pipeline, while 34 percent wanted the new leader to oppose it.