23 Total States Join Lawsuit Against Biden Administration Over Keystone Pipeline

June 7, 2021
Alaska and Florida have made it 23 states involved in a lawsuit against the Biden administration over the cancellation of the Keystone XL pipeline.

Alaska and Florida have made it 23 states officially involved in a lawsuit against the Biden administration over the cancellation of the Keystone XL pipeline.

Montana Attorney General Austin Knudsen announced that two more attorneys general – Florida’s Ashley Moody and Alaska’s Treg Taylor – have signed on to the lawsuit.

Knudsen described President Biden’s cancellation of the Keystone pipeline as “unconstitutional” and warned that recent cyberattacks on other pipelines make the project even more critical.

“The fallout from the Colonial pipeline cyberattack made it very clear that we need more energy infrastructure, not less,” he said in a statement.

“The Keystone XL would get more oil … to American refineries to be sold to American consumers.”

RELATED: Biden Suspends Trump-Era Drilling Leases In Alaska’s Arctic Refuge

23 States Join Keystone Lawsuit

Montana Attorney General Austin Knudsen goes on to explain that the President does “not have the power to regulate foreign and interstate commerce or to unilaterally undo an act of Congress.”

He vows to keep fighting against the cancellation of the Keystone pipeline so that his state “can benefit from the jobs, tax revenue, and enhanced energy independence the Keystone XL will bring to our communities.”

The lawsuit was originally filed in the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Texas back in March.

An amended complaint was filed last week in federal court in Galveston, Texas.

“The decision to provide or withhold permission to construct and operate an oil pipeline across the international border with Canada is a regulation of international and interstate commerce,” the amended complaint said.

“Under the Constitution, the power to regulate international and interstate commerce resides with Congress – not the president.”

Upon taking office, President Biden didn’t hesitate to cancel the Keystone XL pipeline, and with it, killing thousands of American jobs.

RELATED: Climate Activists Dump Cow Manure Outside White House To Protest Biden’s Climate Plan

Biden’s War on Energy Independence

Alaska lawmakers have had plenty to gripe about with the Biden administration regarding its war on energy independence.

In addition to their AG joining a lawsuit regarding the Keystone pipeline, the White House announced earlier this month a suspension of oil and gas leases in Alaska’s Arctic National Wildlife Refuge (ANWR) pending an environmental review.

Alaska Governor Mike Dunleavy (R) vowed to take legal action on this matter as well.

“Our leases for oil and gas are valid and cannot be taken away by the federal government,” Dunleavy said in a statement. “I oppose this assault on Alaska’s economy and will use every means necessary to undo this egregious federal overreach.”

Had Biden committed to developing ANWR’s resources, tens of thousands of jobs would be created to supply 1.45 billion barrels of oil per day with government revenue estimated to be as much as $440 billion.

The President’s cancellation of the Keystone pipeline on day one also killed 11,000 jobs for a project that would have net-zero carbon emissions.

The Keystone and ANWR decisions come as gas prices over Memorial Day weekend reached the highest they’ve been in 7 years, with surging energy prices leading to inflation fears.

 

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By Rusty Weiss

Rusty Weiss has been covering politics for over 15 years. His writings have appeared in the Daily Caller, Fox... More about Rusty Weiss

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