Senate resolution urges Biden to expedite Keystone XL pipeline

The state Senate recently adopted a resolution that urges President Joe Biden to restart and expedite the completion of the Keystone XL pipeline.

On Biden’s first day in office, he canceled the pipeline’s construction permit using an executive order.

State Sens. Wayne Langerholc, Jr. (R-Cambria/Clearfield) and Gene Yaw (R-Bradford) introduced Senate Resolution 9.

“The Keystone XL pipeline is critical to our national energy infrastructure and creates thousands of jobs,” Yaw said. “Although shortsighted climate rhetoric has left our national security at risk, we can still pivot and limit the impacts of this geopolitical crisis.”

Construction of the pipeline would have contributed $3.4 billion to the national gross domestic product and generated between 16,149 and 59,468 jobs annually, according to a U.S. Department of Energy report.

“This resolution sends a strong message that Pennsylvanians want to restart the Keystone XL pipeline,” Langerholc said. “This resolution, coupled with our calls upon the governor to remove the Commonwealth from the Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative, will position ourselves toward North American energy independence.”

The resolution will be sent to Biden and U.S. Congress members, including the Pennsylvania Congressional Delegation.

Biden waived sanctions on the Russian company responsible for the Nord Stream 2 pipeline between Russia and Germany.