Trump approves Keystone XL pipeline

The Trump administration issued a permit today to build the Keystone XL pipeline, clearing the way for the $8 billion project. The line will run from Alberta, Canada, to refineries along the Texas Gulf Coast, with a goal of moving 800,000 barrels of oil per day, more than one-fifth of the oil Canada exports to the United States. Parts of the line have already been built, but completion was stalled because of a required permit for the line to cross from Canada into the United States. Today’s State Department–signed permit reverses an Obama administration decision to nix the project due to environmental concerns. Advocates say the pipeline will improve U.S. energy security and create jobs. Construction still faces opposition from Native American tribes, landowners, and environmental groups as it moves through Montana, South Dakota, Nebraska, Kansas, and Oklahoma.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.