‘Put America First-‘ Wyoming Joins Lawsuit to Block President Biden’s Cancellation of Keystone XL Pipeline

The Office of Governor Mark Gordon has released a statement indicating that Wyoming has joined 21 other states in a lawsuit to block Biden’s cancellation of the Keystone Pipeline.

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Additionally, Governor Gordon has issued an Executive Order to evaluate the constitutionality of the federal actions.

The release notes states that once the Keystone Pipeline was completed, the project was expected to help free up pipeline space in Wyoming. It was estimated to create 42,100 jobs and earn up to $2 billion throughout the United States, according to the Governor’s office.

“The Keystone project was authorized by Congress and would provide economic benefits to multiple states, including Wyoming,” Governor Gordon said. “It’s foolish to think cancelling this pipeline does anything good for the country or climate. It will merely shift production offshore to places with lower environmental standards, worse safety records and laxer workforce protections, while at the same time undermining our own domestic energy security. Let’s put America first because we do it right.”

Wyoming joined attorneys general from Alabama, Arizona, Arkansas, Georgia, Indiana, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Mississippi, Missouri, Montana, Nebraska, North Dakota, Ohio, Oklahoma, South Carolina, South Dakota, Texas, Utah and West Virginia as plaintiffs in the lawsuit.

The lawsuit states, “The decision to provide or withhold permission to construct and operate an oil pipeline across the international border with Canada is a regulation of international and interstate commerce. Under the Constitution, this power resides with Congress.”

In addition to the lawsuit, Governor Gordon has also issued an Executive Order requesting the Attorney General to evaluate all Presidential and Executive Orders for constitutionality. Governor Gordon said he is doing this to take actions to protect the rights of Wyoming citizens.

This order comes after another order that Governor Gordon issued, which directed state agencies to examine the financial impacts of President Biden’s ban on new sales of federal oil and gas leases, and the potential legal options available to Wyoming.

“Wyoming must not allow the Federal Government to continue to harm the State and its citizens through Federal Orders,” Governor Gordon said. “We will use all means necessary to ensure we can continue to fund critical services through the responsible development of our oil and gas and other natural resources.”

The actual lawsuit being filed can be found here.