Attorney General Steve Marshall (R-AL) on Tuesday joined 13 other attorneys general in sending a letter to President Joe Biden and calling on him to reverse his decision on the Keystone XL Pipeline.
On his first day in office, Biden last month revoked the 2019 Presidential Permit for the pipeline, effectively shuttering the under-construction project and laying off thousands of workers amid a pandemic.
The letter from the attorneys general advised Biden that the respective states, including Alabama, are reviewing all available legal options to protect the interests of their citizens.
The Republicans underscored that Biden’s “unilateral and rushed” decision kills well-paying, working-class jobs; increases America’s reliance on energy produced in hostile foreign countries; and cripples economic activity and opportunity.
“Your decision will result in devastating damage to many of our states and local communities. Even those states outside the path of the Keystone XL pipeline — indeed all Americans — will suffer serious, detrimental consequences,” Marshall and the other attorneys general wrote to the president.
“Having cudgeled the energy sector, your decision will increase heating and fuel costs for families and businesses across the country and disrupt other industries including agriculture, transportation, manufacturing, and even the affordability of consumer goods,” they said. “Americans you were elected to serve will ultimately foot the bill in higher prices, lost jobs, and less security.”
The attorneys general further criticized Biden for failing to consult states on the costs to consumers and additional economic impacts, setting a dangerous precedent for other permits and projects while “virtue signaling to special interests.”
“We cannot ‘Build Back Better’ by reflexively tearing down,” the AGs advised. “America needs every tool in her possession to emerge from the COVID-19 crisis stronger and more secure. You have expressed a commitment to unite the Nation. If that is to be more than empty rhetoric, you must fully consider and account for the alarming effects your actions have on states, local communities, families, and workers.”
“Please be aware that the states are reviewing available legal options to protect our residents and sovereign interests. In the meantime, we urge you to reconsider your decision to impose crippling economic injuries on states, communities, families, and workers across the country,” they added.
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Sean Ross is the editor of Yellowhammer News. You can follow him on Twitter @sean_yhn
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