Mar 17, 2021 - Politics & Policy

States sue Biden in effort to salvage Keystone XL pipeline

Rebecca Falconer

President Joe Biden speaks during a virtual meeting with Irish Prime Minister (Taoiseach) Micheal Martin in the Oval Office of the White House on March 17 — President Biden at the White House on Wednesday. Photo: Erin Scott-Pool/Getty Images

21 states filed a lawsuit against President Biden on Wednesday over his executive order to rescind permits for the Keystone XL oil pipeline.

Driving the news: The suit, filed in the U.S. District Court in Texas, aims to overturn Biden's decision, arguing that he overstepped his authority by ordering a cross-border permit for the Canada-U.S. pipeline to be revoked.

Texas and Montana lead the complaint.
Montana Attorney General Austin Knudsen said in a statement: "The power to regulate foreign and interstate commerce belongs to Congress — not the President."

The big picture: The controversial pipeline caused an outcry among climate activists when it was proposed to carry crude oil from Alberta to Nebraska in 2008.

Construction finally began last year after then-President Trump issued a presidential permit.
Biden canceled the permits as part of efforts to address the climate crisis, raising the ire of Republicans.

For the record: While some of the states represented in the suit, like Kentucky, Louisiana and Kansas, have Democratic governors, all have Republican attorneys general.

The Biden administration did not immediately respond to Axios' request for comment.

Read the complaint, via DocumentCloud:

Go deeper: Trudeau stresses "disappointment" with Keystone XL in first official call with Biden

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States sue Biden in effort to salvage Keystone XL pipeline

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