The Biden administration confirmed on Monday that it is considering shutting down an oil pipeline in Michigan as fuel prices skyrocket across the country.
“Revoking the permits for the [Line 5] pipeline that delivers oil from western Canada across Wisconsin, the Great Lakes and Michigan and into Ontario, would please environmentalists who have urged the White House to block fossil fuel infrastructure, but it would aggravate a rift with Canada and could exacerbate a spike in energy prices that Republicans are already using as a political weapon,” Politico Pro reported last week. “Killing a pipeline while U.S. gasoline prices are the highest in years could be political poison for Biden, who has seen his approval rating crash in recent months.”
Fox News White House correspondent Peter Doocy brought up the matter on Monday to White House Deputy Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre, asking, “why is the administration now considering shutting down the Line 5 pipeline from Canada to Michigan?”
“So, Peter, that is inaccurate,” she claimed. “That is not right. So, any reporting indicating that some decision has been made, again, is not accurate. … So, again, I would — it is inaccurate what you just stated, but —”
“What’s inaccurate?” Doocy asked.
“The reporting about us wanting to shut down the Line 5,” Jean-Pierre responded.
Jean-Pierre then admitted that the administration was, in fact, studying the effects of shutting down the pipeline, saying, “Yes, we are. We are.”
WATCH:
DOOCY: "Is the administration studying the impact of shutting down the Line 5?"
JEAN-PIERRE: "Yes we are." pic.twitter.com/V5XKhgcmAJ
— Townhall.com (@townhallcom) November 8, 2021
TRANSCRIPT PROVIDED VIA THE WHITE HOUSE:
REPORTER: The Energy Secretary says, about the cost of Americans heating their homes in the winter, “It will be more expensive this year than last year.” So, why is the administration now considering shutting down the Line 5 pipeline from Canada to Michigan?
KARINE JEAN-PIERRE, DEPUTY PRESS SECRETARY: So, Peter, that is inaccurate. That is not com- — that is not right. So, any reporting indicating that some decision has been made, again, is not accurate.
But what I will say is — I’ll lay this out for you for a little bit here: Where we are at — where we are is — with this is that Canada has decided to invoke, dispute resolution provisions of the 1977 Transit Pipelines treaty.
We expect that both the U.S. and Canada will engage constructively in those negotiations. In addition to being one of the closest allies, Canada remains a key U.S. partner in energy trade, as well as efforts to address climate change and protect the environment.
I will also add this, too: is that the current — the current Line 5 pipeline is subject to litigation between Enbridge and the state of Michigan.
So, again, I would — it is inaccurate what you just stated, but —
REPORTER: What’s inaccurate?
JEAN-PIERRE: The reporting. The reporting about us wanting to shut down the Line 5.
REPORTER: I didn’t say “wanting.” I said, is it being studied right now? Is the administration studying the impact of shutting down —
JEAN-PIERRE: Yeah.
REPORTER: — the Line 5?
JEAN-PIERRE: Yes, we are. We are. That —
REPORTER: So then what’s inaccurate?
JEAN-PIERRE: Well, I thought you were saying that we were going to shut it down.
REPORTER: No.
JEAN-PIERRE: But that is — that is not inaccurate.
REPORTER: Just asking.
JEAN-PIERRE: Okay. Great. Great, great, great. But the Army Corps of Engineers is preparing an environmental impact to look through this.