Biden Administration to Shut Down a Second Pipeline

Biden Administration to Shut Down a Second Pipeline

(UnitedReader.com) – Fuel prices have skyrocketed since 2020, more than tripling in the short time Joe Biden has been president. The Biden administration has already shut down the Keystone XL project while allowing Russia to complete their Nord Stream 2 pipeline. Now, in the face of ever-increasing gas prices, Biden is considering shutting down a second US pipeline.

Keeping Promises

Twelve federally recognized tribes previously sent a letter to President Biden requesting that he stop the Line 5 pipeline in Michigan. The 78-year-old pipeline belongs to a Canadian company called Enbridge. The letter asks the Biden administration to protect their existential rights including resources and way of life.

The tribes claim that the pipeline is in violation of the 1836 Treaty of Washington, which moved the Odawa and Ojibwe to reservations in the Great Lakes State. The tribes traded their claim to the land to preserve their hunting, gathering and fishing rights.

Meanwhile, director of environmental policy at Mackinac Center for Public Policy, Jason Hayes, says halting the pipeline’s operation would violate a US-Canadian agreement to allow oil to flow between the United States and Canada. The tribes hope the president keeps his word of protecting fundamental interests.

State Decision

The Canadian company is already in several court battles with the federal government and the Michigan state government as Michigan Governor Gretchen Whitmer (D) has already taken away and halted the company’s easement. In fall of 2020, Enbridge’s deal with Michigan ended with Whitmer ordering for Line 5 to stop flowing by early 2021, which the company has staunchly rejected.

Higher Gas Prices in the Future?

The average price of gas is already over $3.40/gal according to AAA reports. Jennifer Granholm, Energy Secretary, says the average price of gas in America could break the $4/gal threshold. The secretary added that everyone certainly hopes actual figures will be lower. Granholm claims that President Biden is working diligently to overcome the inflated prices. While Biden says there’s little he can do about the problem, he’s been urging the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) to increase the amount of gasoline it sends to the United States.

Keystone XL

All these decisions come after President Biden shut down production of the Keystone XL pipeline, which could have transported as much as 35 million gallons of crude oil daily. The 1,200-mile pipeline began construction under the Trump administration, when gas prices were low, and would have connected Nebraska to other pipelines feeding refineries in the US Gulf Coast region.

Instead of allowing the country to be energy independent, Biden is seemingly wiping out America’s energy industry. The consequences are apparent. The only real questions remaining are how high will gas prices get and how will the price of fuel impact Americans over the winter?

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