PHILIP, S.D. — Residents and business owners upset by the loss of the Keystone XL pipeline gathered in Philip and appealed to three Republican congressman for help in restarting the project.
Representatives Dusty Johnson (R-S.D.), Kelly Armstrong (R-N.D.), and Dan Newhouse (R-WA) hosted a roundtable with more than twenty South Dakota business owners who have been impacted by President Biden’s Executive Order shutdown of the Keystone XL Pipeline.
“The stories we heard today represent the thousands of local businesses hurting because of President Biden’s Executive Orders,” said Johnson. “It’s not just about a pipeline – it’s about the investments real South Dakotans made in response to a project that earned all its permits and was already under construction. It’s about the hotel owner who made upgrades, the gym owner who hired extra staff, and the gravel pit owners who purchased new equipment. Cancelling the Keystone XL Pipeline with a flick of the pen destroyed the investment made by thousands of everyday Americans.”
“President Biden’s decision to revoke the permit for the Keystone XL Pipeline is a devastating decision for thousands of people in North Dakota, South Dakota, and across the Nation,” said Armstrong. “Thank you to Congressman Johnson for bringing together business owners whose livelihoods are threatened, to discuss the impact that canceling this project has already had on small communities like Philip, SD. I will continue to work with Congressman Johnson, Congressman Newhouse, and anyone willing to advance commonsense, job creating projects like the Keystone XL Pipeline.”
“President Biden’s recent Executive Order to terminate the Keystone XL Pipeline is a devastating blow to our nation’s energy independence and economy,” said Western Caucus Chairman Newhouse. “This roundtable further demonstrated just how thoughtless this decision was and how out of touch President Biden and his Administration are with the people of rural America. I am grateful for the opportunity to join Representatives Dusty Johnson and Kelly Armstrong in South Dakota to hear from folks on the ground about the real impacts this reckless executive action has on workers, local businesses, and rural communities. It is our job to amplify their voices, and we will continue to do just that.”
One of President Joe Biden’s first moves was to revoke Keystone XL’s presidential permit and shut down construction of the long-disputed pipeline that was to carry oil from Canada to Texas.
While the decision was celebrated by some tribal residents, environmental activists and others, others view it as a dagger to small-town business.
Many residents from those counties say Biden’s decision is already taking a financial and personal toll.
