AG Ravnsborg joins lawsuit against Biden Admin. over Keystone pipeline

RAPID CITY, S.D. (KOTA) -21 Republican Attorneys General across the country are filing suit in federal court to reverse President Joe Biden’s decision to cancel the construction of the Keystone XL pipeline.

South Dakota Attorney General Jason Ravnsborg has joined that lawsuit.

“What it really is, is does the President have the authority, or does congress have the authority to regulate the border?” Ravnsbor asked. “I think that’s a question on many fronts, but in this instance, we don’t think he’s followed the procedure and the review process that’s necessary to just yank the permits.”

Representative Dusty Johnson agrees with the suit and adds that too much progress has already been made on the project for it to stop.

“Generally, in America, when you get a court decision, when you get a zoning decision, when you get a construction permit, that permit is honored by future administrations, and that’s important because it shows that we honor the rule of law and it sends a strong and consistent message to people who want to do large projects,” Johnson said. “What President Biden has done with this decision is in essence thrown away the investment that hundreds of South Dakota businesses have made in this project that had already been under construction.”

Biden argues in the executive order that “leaving the Keystone XL pipeline permit in place would not be consistent with my Administration’s economic and climate imperatives.”

Senator John Thune argues the pipeline would be the most efficient way to cut down our reliance on foreign oil.

“The fact of the matter is, pipelines have historically been a very safe and efficient way to move these types of fluids that we’re going to be dependent on to power our economy for the foreseeable future,” Thune said.

The Attorneys General are arguing that Biden did not have the authority to revoke the permit under Article II of the Constitution.

Copyright 2021 KOTA. All rights reserved.