Minnesota businesses and builders back Keystone XL Pipeline Project

Washington May 13, 2011 ─ Minnesota’s Building and Construction Trade Council and state’s Chamber of Commerce sent a letter to Secretary Hillary Clinton urging the State Department to immediately approve the Keystone XL Pipeline project to enhance America’s energy security.

"Minnesota’s businesses and builders recognize the tremendous economic benefits of the Keystone XL Pipeline project," said API executive vice president Marty Durbin. "This project will create 20,000 skilled labor jobs during construction in the United states. And more than 340,000 more Americans could be put to work over the next four years from development of Canada’s oil sands. Given that unemployment is now 9% every effort to create new American jobs should be embraced."

Collectively, the two organizations represent more than 2,400 Minnesota businesses and 50,000 building trade members. The groups told the secretary they "… are very concerned about the energy security issues that affect businesses, jobs and the well-being of the people of Minnesota. Sometimes, these concerns lead us beyond the boundaries of that state, as energy policy is a national issue….We urge you to approve the Keystone XL project for the sake of our skilled craft workers and businesses in Minnesota and for the sake of national energy security."

The recently released Supplemental Draft Environmental Impact Statement released by the State Department found that "no new issues of substance emerged". DOS also acknowledged that this pipeline would be state of the art and "have a degree of safety over any other".

"Along with thousands of U.S. jobs oil sands development in Canada will generate about $34 billion in revenue for the U.S. government," said Durbin. "The Keystone project has passed extensive analyses and reviews over the last two years. Americans are ready to get to work as soon as the government gives the green light.

"This project is a win-win for America. We need to improve our energy options by using nearby Canadian resources instead of relying on more imports from unfriendly regions of the world. Investing in Canadian crude oil will provide a stable, secure, and affordable energy source for generations to come."

API represents more than 470 oil and natural gas companies, leaders of a technology-driven industry that supplies most of America’s energy, supports 9.2 million U.S. jobs and 7.7 percent of the U.S. economy, delivers $86 million in revenue to our government every day, and, since 2000, has invested over $2 trillion in U.S. capital projects to advance all forms of energy, including alternatives.