WASHINGTON – Today, U.S. Senators Jim Risch (R-Idaho), Steve Daines (R-Mont.), and nine of their Senate Republican colleagues sent a letter to U.S. Department of Energy Secretary Jennifer Granholm about the now outstanding Keystone XL Pipeline jobs loss report, which was due to Congress on Sunday, February 13th, 2022.
“At the time of its closure, the Keystone XL Pipeline project was already under construction and employed more than 1,500 workers. By the end of 2021, the Keystone XL pipeline was projected to provide approximately 11,000 jobs. The closure erased thousands of real, high-paying jobs and approximately $800 million in wages,” the senators wrote.
“Knowing the full impact of the President’s actions is important to the American people,” the senators continued. “We urge you to complete your obligation under the law and release your report to Congress immediately.”
Additional signers of the letter include Senators Mike Crapo (R-Idaho), John Barrasso (R-Wyo.), Cynthia Lummis (R-Wyo.), Bill Cassidy (R-La.), Jerry Moran (R-Kan.), Roger Marshall (R-Kan.), Kevin Cramer (R-N.D.), John Hoeven (R-N.D.), and Tom Cotton (R-Ark.).
Background:
On his first day in office, President Biden unilaterally revoked the permit for construction of the Keystone XL pipeline, which was expected to provide some 11,000 direct high-paying jobs and up to 60,000 indirect and direct jobs.
In June 2021, Risch, Daines, and nine of their Senate Republican colleagues introduced the Defending Keystone Jobs Act, which would require the Biden administration to submit a report to Congress on the number of jobs lost as a direct or indirect result of the Biden administration’s move to cancel construction of the Keystone XL pipeline within 90 days of enactment. A modified version of the legislation was codified into law as part of the bipartisan Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act.
Full text of the letter to Secretary Granholm is found here and below:
Dear Secretary Granholm,
Section 40434 of the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act, which became law on November 15, 2021, directed the Secretary of Energy to conduct a study to estimate “the total number of jobs that were lost as a direct or indirect result of” and “the impact on consumer energy costs that are projected to result as a direct or indirect result of” President Biden’s Executive Order canceling the Keystone XL Pipeline. The Secretary of Energy was required to release results of that study to Congress no later than 90 days after enactment. This Sunday, February 13, 2022, marked 90 days since enactment of the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act and the Department of Energy has not released the required report. We request that you immediately provide the current status of the required report and provide the report to the appropriate Congressional Committees.
At the time of its closure, the Keystone XL Pipeline project was already under construction and employed more than 1,500 workers. By the end of 2021, the Keystone XL pipeline was projected to provide approximately 11,000 jobs. The closure erased thousands of real, high-paying jobs and approximately $800 million in wages. Significant prospective spending for rural communities and small businesses, as well as tax revenue for local schools and public safety, disappeared with the stroke of a pen. President Biden’s Executive Order destroyed numerous jobs and changed countless lives. It also strained relationships with Canada and put the United States at a strategic disadvantage when it comes to energy security for us and our allies. Knowing the full impact of the President’s actions is important to the American people.
We urge you to complete your obligation under the law and release your report to Congress immediately. We look forward to a prompt and detailed response.
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