Montana's Delegation in Washington Not Giving Up on Keystone XL

US Representative for Montana, Matt Rosendale, and Montana US Senator Steve Daines have introduced legislation to attempt to reverse President Joe Biden’s revocation of a key permit issued to TC Energy for the Keystone XL pipeline to cross into the United States from Canada at the border in Phillips County.

The decision made on President Biden’s first day in office had been long forecast. Biden had campaigned on the promise that he would make revoking Keystone XL a first-day event—a promise he ultimately kept. Nonetheless, the decision has generated countless rebukes from politicians, businesses and local leaders across the state. From each of Montana’s congressional delegates to the state’s attorney general and the newly sworn-in Republican Governor Greg Gianforte, the consensus statewide is that the decision will negatively impact the state.

Even Democratic Senator Jon Tester reiterated his support for the project and urged President Biden to reconsider revoking the permit needed to run the pipeline saying it would create jobs in the state. In a Feb. 2 release, Tester said he has long supported Keystone XL and he asked the president to sit down with stakeholders—to include Montana’s Tribes—to “chart a path forward on the job-creating project together”.

“Senator Tester’s support for the Keystone XL Pipeline continues to be unequivocal, as it has for the last decade,” said Tester in a statement spurred by accusations from Daines that he voted in favor of a measure that would ultimately kill the project. Daines had been referring to a COVID-19 relief package that was being pushed through on a budget resolution measure. Tester said the measure was a routing and “arcane” procedure.

Tribes and environmental groups celebrated the decision by President Biden. After years of lawsuits, demonstrations and calls for solidarity for many the decision represents an acknowledgement of concerns about water contamination and environmental impacts. The Fort Peck Tribes had, for years, expressed concern that the project endangered a water treatment plant that supplies nearly all of northeast Montana with clean drinking water.

Still some Valley County businesses pushed back on the decision from the President citing economic impacts to the county. Glasgow Area Chamber of Commerce and Agriculture Executive Director, Lisa Koski, penned a letter of support for the project and provided a copy to the Courier. In it she described the project as good for business in not only the US but also in Northeast Montana and particularly Valley County.

“It will create thousands of high-paying jobs, pay millions into tax coffers and inject billions into the nation’s economy, as well as the significant portion to Montana,” she wrote. She went on to argue that the tax revenue alone would not only support area infrastructure project likes roads but will also benefit area schools—who seek to gain the most from the pipeline.

In response to a request for information from the Courier on the company’s plan moving forward, TC Energy pointed to a Jan. 20 press release in which they say, “TC Energy will review the decision, assess its implications, and consider its options. However, as a result of the expected revocation of the Presidential Permit, advancement of the project will be suspended.”

Put plainly, TC Energy will stop investing in the project and issuing securities and shares for Keystone XL as well as other financing options. The company did add that the remainder of TC Energy’s business is still doing very well.

“Our base business continues to perform very well and, aside from Keystone XL, we are advancing $25 billion of secured capital projects along with a robust portfolio of other similarly high quality opportunities under development,” said François Poirier, TC Energy’s President and Chief Executive Officer.

As for Rosendale and Daine’s legislation it is unclear whether the measure will have enough support to pass the House and Senate and make its way onto the President’s desk. Even if the bill did arrive, it is unlikely the president will sign it into law and reverse one of his administration’s earliest actions.

“Americans are already struggling to make ends meet and keep food on the table because of the pandemic. Yet with the stroke of a pen, President Biden killed thousands of energy and union jobs, eliminated tax revenue for impoverished communities, raised energy costs for Americans, and put our national security and energy independence at risk,” Daines stated. “We must reverse Biden’s disastrous decision and send a clear message that supporting American workers is more important than supporting Saudi Arabia and allowing radical environmentalists to cash in on campaign promises.”