[ad_1]
A US judge blocked the construction of the controversial Keystone XL pipeline linking Canada's oil sands to US refineries, saying the US government had not conducted a full environmental scan.
The project, which has become a target for activists and was rejected by Barack Obama's administration after years of deliberations over whether to proceed, was approved by President Donald Trump.
Thursday's decision is a victory for environmental and Indigenous Peoples who campaigned against oil sands crude oil extraction because of its impact on local landscapes and greenhouse gas emissions Greenhouse.
This is also a major setback for TransCanada, which may again have to delay construction of the $ 8 billion pipeline, which extends nearly 2,000 km from Alberta to Nebraska.
Judge Brian Morris of the US District Court quashed Trump's license following a lawsuit filed by environmental groups against the US government.
He added that the analysis of the administration "did not allow to look closely" at the impact of the greenhouse gas emissions and oil spills of the project, as well as the viability of Keystone XL given current oil prices.
Nebraska regulators approved the construction of Keystone XL in November 2017, one of the last hurdles to overcome for the project. President Trump signed an order to advance the project in his first week of mandate.
In 2015, President Obama blocked it, saying the oil sands project would have undermined US efforts to encourage efforts to combat global warming caused by emissions from fossil fuels.
The judge also said the government's refusal to reject the pipeline in 2015 for approval two years later under Trump was unjustified. A comprehensive analysis related to the impact of climate change has been "omitted" from any new study, he said.
The Trump administration has ruled out previous factual findings on climate change to support its reversal, "he added. "An organization simply can not ignore factual determinations that are contrary or impractical."
The pipeline, long sought after by US Republicans, was to open a new export route from Western Canada. Trump said it would create jobs, lower fuel prices and reduce dependence on foreign oil.
Source link
