Keystone XL pipeline gets Trump’s approval

US President Donald Trump has signed the presidential permit allowing TransCanada to build the Keystone XL pipeline.

“It’s going to be an incredible pipeline. Greatest technology known to man. Or woman. And frankly, we’re very proud of it,” said Trump, according to The Guardian.

When complete, the 875 mile long Keystone XL pipeline will carry up to 830,000 barrels of oil sands petroleum a day from Alberta, Canada, to Steele City, Nebraska. From Nebraska it will connect to another Keystone pipeline to distribute oil to refineries on the Gulf coast.

To move forward the pipeline still needs a state permit from Nebraska. The permitting process requires the approval of five elected commissioners in the state.

The US State Department said in a press release that the pipeline served the national interest, while Trump said it would create thousands of jobs. However, the Keystone XL has proven hugely controversial over recent years. It was opposed by the Obama administration, and has encountered strong opposition from environmental and Native American activists.

Signing the presidential permit seems unlikely to end the controversy surrounding the pipeline. According to the The Guardian, Bill McKibben, co-founder of the environmental advocacy group 350.org, told a group of reporters: “The fight will be very real, and very intense. There are millions and millions of Americans who are committed to ensuring the Keystone Pipeline never gets built.