Keystone-killing move by Biden allowed by judge
Published January 6, 2022
A federal district court judge granted the Biden administration’s request to dismiss a lawsuit filed by more than 20 Republican attorneys general challenging the Keystone XL Pipeline’s permit revocation. Judge Jeffrey Brown, of the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Texas, ruled that he couldn’t determine the constitutionality of President Joe Biden’s action because TC Energy, the pipeline’s developer, had abandoned the project. On June 9, TC Energy announced its intention to permanently halt construction of the pipeline, saying it would focus on other projects. Biden canceled the pipeline’s federal permit immediately after taking office on Jan. 20 in an executive order. The order said the U.S. “must prioritize the development of a clean energy economy” and that the Keystone project would undermine the nation’s role as a climate leader on the world stage. “The court takes TC Energy at its word that Keystone XL is dead,” Brown wrote in the ruling on Thursday. “And because it is dead, any ruling this court makes on whether President Biden had the authority to revoke the permit would be advisory. Thus, the court has no jurisdiction and the case must be dismissed as moot.” Brown declined to directly rule on whether it was within Biden’s constitutional authority to issue the order. Led by Montana Attorney General Austin Knudsen and Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton, 23 states sued the Biden administration on March 17, arguing the power to regulate foreign and interstate commerce belongs to Congress. The lawsuit said Biden “must work with and abide by the limits set by Congress—whether he likes them or not.” Moar: https://www.wnd.com/2022/01/keystone-killing-move-biden-allowed-judge/
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