Trump plans to revive Keystone XL pipeline despite project shutdown

Donald Trump aims to resurrect the Keystone XL pipeline project on his first day as president, even though the initiative was abandoned years ago and no company is currently pursuing it.

Ben Lefebvre reports for POLITICO.


In short:

  • Trump’s renewed push for the Keystone XL pipeline aligns with his pro-oil agenda and opposition to Joe Biden’s energy policies.
  • The pipeline’s developer, TC Energy, ceased the project in 2021, removed the installed sections and spun off its oil pipeline business, making revival a logistical and financial challenge.
  • Energy market shifts, such as increased U.S. oil production and Canada’s expanded export infrastructure, reduce the economic incentive for the pipeline.

Key quote:

“When the federal permit got revoked, we just didn’t celebrate — we went all the way through the court system to make sure the easements were returned to landowners.”

— Jane Kleeb, chair of the Nebraska Democratic Party

Why this matters:

Reviving the Keystone XL pipeline could inflame environmental, legal and landowner disputes while clashing with current energy market dynamics. It signals a broader effort to undo climate-driven energy policies, raising concerns about environmental and economic impacts.

Related: Climate policies can cost governments billions

A row of industrial batteries

For California farmers, a clean-energy dilemma

How close to prime farmland should large-scale battery facilities be built?
A view of a housing development with a wildfire and smoke in the background

Poll: Most Coloradans say climate change is harming human health

More than 1 in 3 Coloradans say they or a loved one has experienced a climate-change related health impact, according to new survey data.

A closeup of hikers' feet on a trail

Part of Trans Canada Trail is permanently closing

Climate change is putting the future of the Kettle Valley Rail Trail, a section of the Trans Canada Trail, at risk as the province weighs the cost of rebuilding after disasters.

A maintenance worker walking alongside solar panels on a roof

Nigeria's solar boom faces cost and policy barriers

Nigeria's rising solar imports signal a search for alternatives to unreliable grid power and high fuel costs.

A child holding a protest sign that says Act Now for a Healthy Future

Climate Reality group in North Carolina to fight PFAS and more

A new Wilmington, NC chapter of the Climate Reality Project aims to teach people on how to engage their neighbors and officials on important environmental issues.

Two schoolchildren sitting at a desk in a classroom taking a test

Data centers, air pollution, climate math: Lessons from a climate and education conference

Students who attend schools near data centers are more likely to see their math performance decline than those who don’t.

Wind turbine towers awaiting assembly
Credit: Engineered Solutionsballtec/UnSplash

Opinion: Why Trump’s $2 billion buyoff to cancel offshore wind farms is a bad deal for American taxpayers and the US energy supply

Communities have been laying the groundwork for offshore energy projects for years and counting on the jobs and energy supply.
From our Newsroom
Multiple Houston-area oil and gas facilities that have violated pollution laws are seeking permit renewals

Multiple Houston-area oil and gas facilities that have violated pollution laws are seeking permit renewals

One facility has emitted cancer-causing chemicals into waterways at levels up to 520% higher than legal limits.

Regulators are underestimating health impacts from air pollution: Study

Regulators are underestimating health impacts from air pollution: Study

"The reality is, we are not exposed to one chemical at a time.”

Pennsylvania governor Josh Shapiro speaks with the state flag and American flag behind him.

Two years into his term, has Gov. Shapiro kept his promises to regulate Pennsylvania’s fracking industry?

A new report assesses the administration’s progress and makes new recommendations

silhouette of people holding hands by a lake at sunset

An open letter from EPA staff to the American public

“We cannot stand by and allow this to happen. We need to hold this administration accountable.”

wildfire retardants being sprayed by plane

New evidence links heavy metal pollution with wildfire retardants

“The chemical black box” that blankets wildfire-impacted areas is increasingly under scrutiny.

Stay informed: sign up for The Daily Climate newsletter
Top news on climate impacts, solutions, politics, drivers. Delivered to your inbox week days.