Chip Yost, vice president for energy and resources policy for the National Association of Manufacturers (NAM), issued a statement on Oct. 26 urging the Obama Administration to move forward as soon as possible on the decision to approve the Keystone XL Pipeline Project, which will transport crude oil from Canada to refineries along the US Gulf Coast in Texas.

Yost said, “Today’s report that the Administration may not move forward on this job-creating project until early next year is disappointing. Americans need jobs, and this project will immediately create 20,000 construction and manufacturing jobs in the United States. Further, a Perryman Report estimates that the project will create an additional 118,000 indirect jobs and will inject $20 billion into our economy.”

He added, “The manufacturing industry uses one-third of our nation’s energy supply. According to the Manufacturing Institute and Deloitte, it is currently 20% more expensive to do business in the United States than with our largest trading partners. To remain competitive in the growing global marketplace, manufacturers need access to affordable sources of energy. The Keystone XL project will not only create thousands of jobs but also serve as a key source of energy for manufacturers. Further delaying the decision to approve the project delays the creation of important construction and manufacturing jobs.”

NAM urged the US State Department to approve Keystone XL as soon as possible in order to begin creating much-needed jobs.