Trump Takes Executive Action on Oil Pipelines

WASHINGTON (AP) – President Donald Trump has signed executive actions to advance the construction of the Keystone XL and Dakota Access oil pipelines.

Trump tells reporters in the Oval Office that the construction of the pipelines will subject to the terms and conditions being renegotiated by the United States.

Former President Barack Obama killed the proposed Keystone XL pipeline in late 2015, saying it would hurt American efforts to reach a global climate change deal.

The pipeline would run from Canada to U.S. refineries in the Gulf Coast. The U.S. government needs to approve the pipeline because it crossed the border.

The Army decided last year to explore alternate routes for the Dakota pipeline after the Standing Rock Sioux tribe and its supporters said the pipeline threatened drinking water and Native American cultural sites.

Trump has also taken steps to streamline the permitting process for manufacturing, stating that he wants pipelines to be made in the U.S., and an expedited process for environmental reviews and approvals. He has described the regulatory process as a “tangled up mess.” He says if the answer is no, it should be a quick no. If the answer is yes, Trump says “let’s start building.”