Trump “can huff and puff all he wants: this pipeline isn’t getting built”

President Donald Trump issued on Friday a new presidential permit to allow for the construction of the controversial Keystone XL pipeline.

“This is a ridiculous attempt by Trump to skirt due process to benefit an oil corporation,” said 350.org executive director May Boeve in a statement.

The permit states that pipeline company TransCanada has the authority “to construct, connect, operate, and maintain pipeline facilities at the international border of the United States and Canada at Phillips County, Montana, for the import of oil from Canada to the United States.” Trump added that the permit he issued for the pipeline on March 23, 2017 was revoked.

“That permit,” as The Hill reported, “was invalidated by a Montana federal judge in November. The ruling is being appealed in the 9th Circuit.”

“Separately, a December lawsuit placed an injunction on most pre-construction activities,” the outlet added.

“Trump issuing another #KeystoneXL permit to try to get around a court order quashing his first one is like a child going to the second parent when their first parent says no to more ice cream,” tweeted David Turnbull, strategic communications director at Oil Change International.

Adding to the chorus of pipeline opponents, Bold Nebraska founder Jane Kleeb said that Trump was defeated in court two years ago, and he should expect another defeat with the new move.

As NRDC said in a tweet, “The #KeystoneXL tar sands pipeline was a bad idea from Day One and it remains a terrible idea today.”

One thing, though, is abundantly clear.

“This latest move reaffirms where the president’s allegiances lie—with the fossil fuel industry,” said Boeve.

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  issues, keystone, montana, permit, pipeline, revocation, transcanada, trump, xl