In testimony October 7, the American Trucking Associations asked the US State Department to issue a presidential permit for the Keystone XL pipeline, a project that will provide jobs and affordable access to reliable energy for the trucking industry and the US economy.
“Diesel fuel is—and will likely continue to be—the lifeblood of the American trucking industry,” said Bill Graves, ATA president and chief executive officer. “The State Department can help ensure that the 18-wheelers that deliver America’s essential goods like food, fuel, and medicine have reliable access to that fuel by approving the Keystone XL project. Approving this project would give a green light to thousands of new jobs and a much-needed economic stimulus.
“Trucks move 70% of our nation’s freight tonnage and earn 82% of the nation’s freight revenue, consuming over 35 billion gallons of diesel fuel and 14 billion gallons of gasoline to deliver virtually all of our nation’s food, clothing, medicine, and other essential commodities,” said Graves.
Richard Moskowitz, ATA vice-president and regulatory affairs counsel, testified on behalf of the group during the State Department’s hearing. He said importing petroleum from Canada, rather than unstable regimes in other parts of the world, will help the trucking industry by increasing the stability of supply and making the price of diesel less susceptible to price spikes.
“Recent events in the Middle East should serve as a wake-up call on the need to improve US energy security,” said Moskowitz.
“The development of Keystone XL will provide a stable, long-term supply of crude oil from Montana, the Dakotas, and Canada—one of our strongest and most loyal allies—to refineries in the United States,” he said. “The US reliance on imported oil places consumers at greater risk of supply disruptions and damaging price spikes. Volatile diesel prices harm the trucking industry and jeopardize the US economy.”