WASHINGTON – April 17, 2020 –  North America’s Building Trades Unions (NABTU), the American Petroleum Institute (API) and the Interstate Natural Gas Association of America (INGAA) issued the following statement in response to the April 15 decision by a federal judge in the District Court of Montana that vacated the U.S. Army Corp of Engineers issuance of a Nationwide Permit 12 for the construction of the Keystone XL pipeline project:

“The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers’ Nationwide Permit 12 is critical to the responsible and efficient development and maintenance of energy and other vital infrastructure projects across America, as well as the millions of good-paying, middle-class family-sustaining jobs that they support. Whether it’s a utility line, broadband cable, or a water main, this general nationwide permit allows construction and maintenance activities that will have minimal environmental impacts.

“Based on our initial review, one thing is clear: the judge’s decision to vacate NWP12 went well beyond what the plaintiffs requested. The decision creates tremendous uncertainty in an already uncertain time, and could lead to lengthy delays.”

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