Trump revives pipelines thwarted under Obama

Washington

PRESIDENT Donald Trump sharply changed the federal government's approach to the environment on Tuesday as he cleared the way for two major oil pipelines that had been blocked, and set in motion a plan to curb regulations that slow other building projects.

In his latest moves to dismantle the legacy of his predecessor, Mr Trump resurrected the Keystone XL pipeline that had stirred years of debate, and expedited another pipeline in the Dakotas that had become a major flashpoint for Native Americans. He also signed a directive ordering an end to protracted environmental reviews.

"I am, to a large extent, an environmentalist, I believe in it," Mr Trump said during a meeting with car industry executives. "But it's out of control, and we're going to make it a very short process. And we're going to either give you your permits, or we're not going to give you your permits. But you're going to know very quickly. And generally speaking, we're going to be giving you your permits." The decisions expanded an effort to unravel much of the policy structure left by former president Barack Obama, who made fighting climate change a central priority. Just a day earlier, Mr Trum…