WASHINGTON (AP) — President Donald Trump got ahead of himself Friday when he said he’s approved construction of the Keystone XL pipeline.
Trump has signed an order asking the TransCanada pipeline company to “resubmit its application” for a permit to build the project, which it has done. And there’s no question Trump is in favor of it. But his statement in South Carolina about the “Keystone pipeline I approved recently” was premature.
There’s still a regulatory process to go through and negotiations to be done. Trump has said he’d renegotiate some of the terms and is insisting that the pipeline be built with U.S. steel. TransCanada has said it would need time to review how any buy-American plan from Washington will impact the company.
Late in his presidency, Barack Obama rejected Keystone XL on environmental grounds.
Trump’s order directs the State Department and other agencies to make a decision within 60 days of the application.
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