Washington, DC – Today, U.S. Senator Joe Manchin, Chairman of the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee, urged President Biden to reconsider his executive order revoking the cross-border permit for the Keystone XL Pipeline and expressed continued support of the responsible expansion of energy infrastructure, including pipelines.

“I am writing today to express my support of responsible energy infrastructure development, including of oil and natural gas pipelines. Pipelines continue to be the safest mode to transport our oil and natural gas resources and they support thousands of high-paying, American union jobs. To that end, I encourage you to reconsider your decision to revoke the cross-border permit for the Keystone XL pipeline and take into account the potential impacts of any further action to safety, jobs, and energy security,” Chairman Manchin wrote in part.

Yesterday, Chairman Manchin reiterated his commitment to an all-of-the-above energy policy that includes fracking and responsible energy infrastructure development, like the Keystone XL and Mountain Valley pipelines. Senator Manchin introduced the original Keystone XL pipeline bill in 2012. In 2014 and 2015, Senator Manchin voted in support of the Keystone XL pipeline because he believed it would be a tremendous job creator and secure American energy independence. In 2017, Senator Manchin praised President Trump’s executive order to resume construction on the pipeline.

Read the full letter below or click here:

Dear President Biden:

I am writing today to express my support of responsible energy infrastructure development, including of oil and natural gas pipelines. Pipelines continue to be the safest mode to transport our oil and natural gas resources and they support thousands of high-paying, American union jobs. To that end, I encourage you to reconsider your decision to revoke the cross-border permit for the Keystone XL pipeline and take into account the potential impacts of any further action to safety, jobs, a­­­­nd energy security. 

In the absence of access to pipelines, crude oil will continue to find its way to market through increased reliance on other modes of transport, like truck and rail, which have a higher number of reported releases of crude oil per ton-mile than pipelines.  Recent analysis by the Department of Transportation shows that incidents occurred approximately once every 50 million gallons of crude oil shipped by rail and once every 55 million gallons shipped by truck, compared to once every 720 million gallons shipped by pipeline.  Further, the U.S. Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration noted that pipelines have a 99.999% safety record. From a safety perspective, we should be encouraging the transport of energy via our vast network of pipelines and facilitate the responsible expansion of that network.  

I am heartened by your promise to create jobs and stand ready to work with you to ensure the growth of good union jobs across the country. Ongoing development of responsible energy infrastructure supports your “Build Back Better” priorities by keeping Americans working while strengthening North American economic and energy security.  It is of the utmost importance that the United States maintain that energy security through strategic relationships with our allies rather than increasing reliance on OPEC nations and Russia. This includes the development of infrastructure, like the Keystone XL and Mountain Valley pipelines, to get this energy to market in the safest and most environmentally responsible way.

Pipeline infrastructure projects already undergo a rigorous permitting process that allows experts to weigh-in on the security, safety, and environmental impacts of the project.  I encourage you to let these processes proceed as intended and to not let politics drive the decisions on the development and operation of our nation’s vital energy infrastructure. 

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