US President-elect Joe Biden has planned to scrap the permit for the controversial
Keystone XL oil pipeline between Canada and the US, two Canadian broadcasters
said on Sunday, AFP reported.

Biden’s transition team indicated that he will rescind the permit via
executive order following his inauguration, CBC and CTV cited sources.

The $8 billion pipeline extension, transporting about 500,000 barrels of
oil per day from Canada’s tar sands in Alberta to refineries in coastal Texas,
was blocked in 2008 by then-President Barack Obama due to environmental
concerns. His successor Donald Trump authorised the permit during his term.

Alberta premier Jason Kenney said on Twitter he was “deeply concerned” by reports of Biden’s plan to now nix the project.

“Should the incoming US administration abrogate the Keystone-XL
permit, Alberta will work with TC Energy to use all legal avenues available to
protect its interest in the project,” Kenney said.

Alberta is in the midst of an economic slump due to falling oil prices
and the pandemic.

Opposition leader Erin O’Toole, who heads the Conservative Party, said
that if true, Biden’s move would “devastate thousands of Canadian families who
have already been badly hurt by the economic crisis.”

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He called on Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau “to immediately reach out to
the incoming US administration to stop this from happening.”

On Sunday, the Wall Street Journal reported that TC Energy plans to use
only renewable energy to power the pipeline in a bid to reassure environmentalists
and stop Biden from scrapping it.