Opinion: Biden Targeting Keystone XL oil pipeline

“Build back better,” is how President Biden summed up his climate change policies to millions of Americans. He did precisely that on his first day of office when he signed an executive order that revoked the permit for the Keystone XL oil pipeline.

The Keystone is an oil pipeline that runs for 1,000+ miles from Alberta, Canada, to Steele City, Nebraska oil sands, carrying over 830,000 tubs of oil every single day. Obama blocked the pipeline in 2015, but former president Donald Trump overturned the Obama administration’s order, only for Biden to entirely revoke the pipeline years later.

His executive orders pleased climate change and Native American activists. However, not everyone is happy with Biden’s choice. The Keystone pipeline would’ve employed an estimated 1,000+ workers throughout construction seasons, but now that it’s been revoked, many have lost their jobs.

It is devastating that workers have been laid off. Considering that many have families to feed, outside of just themselves, and bills that need to be paid. In itself, that is a displeasing tragedy, but it is a necessary tragedy.

Our planet is in grave need of help, and action was required. The Keystone XL oil pipeline would’ve bred long-term effects on human life. The pipeline posed a severe threat to the nearby water sources. It also professed an immense possibility of damaging areas that are sacred to Native American tribes.

“We look at these pipelines as an act of genocide against Native people. Pipelines cross our reservations, causing destruction to our environment and our people.” – Fort Peck Tribal Member, Angeline Cheek, and ACLU of Montana Indigenous Justice Organizer.

If President Biden allowed the oil pipeline to proceed, it would’ve pushed our progress for investing in renewable technologies and our progress in cleaning our planet back by many steps. The use of fossil fuels only adds to our dire situation creating a situation that we cannot just snap and reverse.

And while it is sad that many people are unemployed because of the president’s decision, none of those jobs were permanent. They were seasonal, temporary jobs. Making the hard choices such as these leave behind this messy aftermath where workers feel as though they are being left behind, but the issue of our planet can no longer be dodged and ignored. The risk of climate change is a far greater challenge than any challenge we’ll possibly face in our lifetime.

“We are disappointed but acknowledge the president’s decision.” – Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau.

President Biden made the right choice by revoking Keystone. Hopefully, he can invest America’s time in renewable technologies that do not put our planet at risk and provide jobs for American’s.