Attorney General Alan Wilson calls on President Biden to reinstate Keystone XL permit

(COLUMBIA, S.C.) – Feb. 9, 2021 - South Carolina Attorney General Alan Wilson and a coalition of 13 other attorneys general today called on President Joe Biden to reconsider his unilateral revocation of the 2019 Presidential Permit for the Keystone XL pipeline and advised him that the states are reviewing available legal options to protect their citizens and interests.

A letter from Attorney General Wilson and the attorneys general coalition reiterates the harms Biden’s decision will inflict on Americans: thousands of displaced workers, increased reliance on energy produced in Russia and the Middle East, and lost economic activity and opportunity.

“Your decision will result in devastating damage to many of our states and local communities. Even those states outside the path of the Keystone XL pipeline—indeed all Americans—will suffer serious, detrimental consequences,” Attorney General Wilson and the attorneys general coalition wrote to Biden. “Having cudgeled the energy sector, your decision will increase heating and fuel costs for families and businesses across the country and disrupt other industries including agriculture, transportation, manufacturing, and even the affordability of consumer goods. Americans you were elected to serve will ultimately foot the bill in higher prices, lost jobs, and less security.”

The attorneys general criticized Biden for failing to consult states on the costs to consumers and economic impacts, setting a dangerous precedent for other permits and projects, and “virtue signaling to special interests.”

“Please be aware that the states are reviewing available legal options to protect our residents and sovereign interests. In the meantime, we urge you to reconsider your decision to impose crippling economic injuries on states, communities, families, and workers across the country,” Attorney General Wilson and the attorneys general wrote.

The effort was led by Montana Attorney General Austin Knudsen and joined by attorneys general from Alabama, Arkansas, Georgia, Indiana, Kansas, Louisiana, Mississippi, Missouri, North Dakota, South Carolina, South Dakota, Texas, and West Virginia.​

You can read the letter here.