Speaking to reporters at the White House Tuesday afternoon, Energy Secretary Jennifer Granholm admitted that pipelines are the safest way to transport fuel. Her comments come as 17 states face a major gas shortage due to a cyberattack on the Colonial Pipeline system and four months after President Joe Biden stopped construction on the Keystone XL pipeline.
"Can you tell us what is the feasibility of using rail cars to transport fuel into the affected areas? I know that's being looked at," a reporter asked.
"The DOT [Department of Transportation] is looking at that, and so we'll have to wait until their analysis is done. There are not easy solutions because there may or may not be the right rail cars, there may not or may not be the deep-water ports available for the Jones Act to be able to respond," Granholm responded. "So this particular area of the country there, this is why we have doubled down on ensuring that there's an ability to truck oil in, gas in. But it's, the pipe is the best way to go. And so that's why, hopefully, this company, Colonial, will, in fact, be able to restore operations by the end of the week as they have said."
After Biden canceled the Keystone XL pipeline, Energy Secretary Granholm says “pipe is the best way” to transport fuel pic.twitter.com/fIRaIPN8YQ
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Regardless of this fact and a continuing gas shortage, White House Press Secretary Jen Psaki said President Biden won't rule out banning additional pipelines.
"Is the White House rethinking their opposition to new pipeline projects since one really important one goes offline and gas stations start running dry?" she was asked.
"I wouldn't say we look at it as in – through that prism," Psaki responded. "We look at it, we analyze both the impact, the economic impact as well as the environmental impact. And that will certainly remain the case, but we look at different, each pipeline project individually."
NEW: Despite fuel shortages, Psaki says Biden is still considering canceling existing pipelines pic.twitter.com/gPKAQuan03
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