WASHINGTON– Brian McGuire, president & CEO of Associated Equipment Distributors (AED), issued the following statement highlighting the sixth anniversary of TransCanada’s first application (Sept. 19, 2008) to the U.S. State Department for approval to build the Keystone XL pipeline.

“It’s becoming an unfortunate, yearly tradition for the construction equipment industry to mark the passing of this date. We’ve been stuck in idle for six long years while the Obama administration has found one reason after another to avoid approving a project that should be a no-brainer.

“If the president said yes to Keystone today, he’d be flipping the switch on 42,000 jobs, putting $2 billion in the pockets of American workers during construction, and pouring 830,000 barrels of oil into American refineries every single day. The State Department found that the environmental impact would be minimal, and we know that every drop of North American oil that we get into production is one less order from foreign producers in hostile countries. When you put the facts together, the pipeline offers a safe, practical way to bring more Canadian oil to U.S. refineries, while improving our energy and economic security, and creating jobs in the process.

“All of that and yet here we are – 365 days older, no wiser and still asking why it’s taken so long for common sense and the greater good to prevail. For the country’s sake, I hope this is our year.”

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