Posted on Jan 20, 2021

Today, the Association of Oil Pipe Lines (AOPL) lamented the Biden administration's first day action to block thousands of new jobs and deprive those workers of billions of dollars in payroll salary. The losses are a result of President Biden's expected revocation of the cross-border permit for the Keystone XL pipeline, currently under construction between Alberta, Canada and Nebraska.

AOPL LAMENTS JOBS LOST ON BIDEN'S ON FIRST DAY

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

WASHINGTON, DC – Today, the Association of Oil Pipe Lines (AOPL) lamented the Biden administration's first day action to block thousands of new jobs and deprive those workers of billions of dollars in payroll salary. The losses are a result of President Biden's expected revocation of the cross-border permit for the Keystone XL pipeline, currently under construction between Alberta, Canada and Nebraska.
 
“Killing 10,000 jobs and taking $2.2 billion in payroll out of workers pockets is not what Americans need or want right now,” said Andy Black, AOPL President and CEO. 

Building the Keystone XL pipeline would create 10,000 good-paying American union jobs during construction. U.S. employment wages would exceeded $2.2 billion under a Project Labor Agreement with four American labor unions. The pipeline's builder was ready to award over $3 billion in contracts awarded to U.S. contractors and suppliers in 2020 with all new steel pipe for Keystone XL is Made in America. 

The project also offered significant environmental protections. Keystone XL would operate at net-zero GHG emissions. Its $1.7 billion investment in new, privately-funded renewable power infrastructure would provide 100% of the power to operate the pipeline. The project sponsor also executed a renewable power MOU with North America’s Building Trades Unions to construct this renewable power infrastructure with a $10 million Green Job Training Fund for union workers.  

The Biden Keystone XL cancellation will also hurt Native American communities. Native American partnerships in the project would generated more than $1 billion in equity ownership opportunities with input into construction and operations. The project sponsor committed over $500 million for Native American suppliers and employment opportunities for tribal communities. Rural America would lose out on over $100 million of annual property taxes that would have gone to rural communities.
  
Blocking Keystone XL may ironically lead to an increase in greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. Government analysis shows pipelines emit fewer GHGs when they make their deliveries compared to other modes of transportation. Denying construction of Keystone XL means much of that crude oil will travel by train or truck instead, producing greater GHG emissions, more air pollution and more traffic congestion.
 
AOPL represents liquids pipeline owners and operators transporting crude oil, petroleum products like gasoline, diesel fuel, jet fuel, home heating oil, industrial feedstocks like ethane and rural fuels like propane. AOPL represents over 50 pipeline companies with over 200,000 miles of pipelines across America delivering affordable, reliable and plentiful energy to American drivers, families, farmers, workers and shoppers. oil, petroleum products like gasoline, diesel fuel, jet fuel, home heating oil, industrial feedstocks like ethane and rural fuels like propane. AOPL represents over 50 pipeline companies with over 200,000 miles of pipelines across America delivering affordable, reliable and plentiful energy to American drivers, families, farmers, workers and shoppers.
 
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