Trump brings back major oil pipelines, imposes EPA media blackout
By Kirsten Glavin
@kirstenglavin
Donald trump signed two executive actions, Tuesday to get the Keystone and Dakota Access Pipeline projects back up and running.
The move is highly controversial, reversing President Obama’s order to halt the Dakota Access pipeline last month after protestors refused to leave the land over environmental concerns.
Christian Hopkins, a Rhode Islander and member of the Narragansett Indian tribe, drove across the country to visit Standing Rock in November, to help protect local water sources from contamination.
"My first reaction was quite the opposite of shock. I was not surprised at all,” Hopkins said Tuesday over the phone. He explained that many protestors knew a new administration may undo the progress made.
The Standing Rock Tribe in North Dakota announced Tuesday they plan to push back with a lawsuit.
Former Warwick State Representative and honorary Trump chair, Joe Trillo, Defended the President and told ABC6 News the country is already over-regulated.
"People are going to talk about everything,” said Trillo. “Contamination, environmental concerns, wetland concerns… and those are all the reasons why this country is creeping right now."
President Trump also banning the Environmental Protection Agency from giving information to reporters.
"This is one way of having some form of control over what goes out to the media,” Trillo said.
President Trump also ordered a freeze for EPA contracts and grants.
According to Congressman Cicilline, in 2016 Rhode Island received more than $35.5 million dollars through the EPA.
