Praise rolls in for Trump's executive order to advance Keystone XL Pipeline

President Donald Trump's executive order this week to advance the construction of the long-delayed Keystone XL Pipeline is drawing praise as a much-needed boost to America's energy infrastructure.

“AED commends President Trump for reviving the Keystone XL pipeline project. It’s inexcusable that the Obama administration denied the cross-border permit for the project that will support a substantial number of jobs and significant economic activity with minimal environmental impact," said Brian P. McGuire, president and CEO of Associated Equipment Distributors. "The Keystone XL pipeline is critical to jobs, economic growth, and national security, and is indisputably in our national interest and that of Canada, our closest trading partner. The construction equipment industry is ready to assist in this project and other energy infrastructure efforts across the country."

Vets4Energy, an organization of American veterans that advocates for improved energy infrastructure to boost the country's energy security, also weighed in on the president's order.

"The president's action on Keystone XL Pipeline shows that we have a commander in chief who now understands the importance of energy security," said James McCormick, a recipient of the bronze and silver stars, who serves as program director of Vets4Energy. "Developing our energy resources — and investing in the infrastructure necessary to safely transport those resources to market — are vital to America's energy security, and therefore important to our national security."

U.S. Senator David Perdue (R-GA) said that the president's order puts "American workers over special interests."

"Energy projects like the Keystone Pipeline will generate jobs and inject new life into our economy. For years, we’ve had our hands tied by a Democratic Administration unwilling to unleash our full energy potential, even after its own environmental assessments returned favorable reviews," said Perdue. Last Congress, President Obama vetoed the Keystone Pipeline, after Congress approved the project with a bipartisan majority in both chambers. President Trump is already translating his rhetoric into results, and I look forward to working together to make our country more energy independent.”

Not surprisingly, the executive order was opposed by a number of environmental activist groups, including the Sierra Club, which posted on its Facebook page that "America doesn't want the dirty, dangerous Keystone XL" and that the group will and Dakota Access pipelines. Donald J. Trump is letting down millions who say #NoKXL and #NoDAPL. We will "resist the actions of this administration."

The Keystone XL is an 1,100-mile crude oil pipeline that would connect oil production in Alberta, Canada to refiners in the U.S.