Keystone Pipeline

An oil pipeline that transports crude oil from Canada to various destinations in the United States.

CCI Score

-44.63

0.02% April 18

Latest Event

TC Energy’s ISDS Lawsuit Over Keystone XL Cancellation

After President Biden halted the Keystone XL pipeline on his first day in office due to longstanding environmental, climate, and health concerns, the company behind the project launched a lawsuit against the U.S. government under NAFTA’s ISDS provisions, seeking $15 billion in compensation for lost profits. This legal challenge is seen as an attempt to subvert democratic policy decisions made in the public interest.

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TOADIE

Keystone Pipeline is currently rated as a Toadie.

-30 to -44 CCI Score

Companies scoring in this range actively seek to please authoritarian regimes. They offer proactive support and assistance in exchange for preferential treatment, compromising ethical standards for business gains and political favor.

Latest Events

NOV

21

2022

TC Energy’s ISDS Lawsuit Over Keystone XL Cancellation
-78.59

After President Biden halted the Keystone XL pipeline on his first day in office due to longstanding environmental, climate, and health concerns, the company behind the project launched a lawsuit against the U.S. government under NAFTA’s ISDS provisions, seeking $15 billion in compensation for lost profits. This legal challenge is seen as an attempt to subvert democratic policy decisions made in the public interest.
-100

Executive Political Engagement

April 8

The decision to pursue an ISDS lawsuit represents an aggressive use of corporate power to undermine a democratically made decision prioritizing public health and environmental safety. By challenging the policy cancellation through legal frameworks typically used to prioritize profit over public welfare, the company demonstrates a severe disregard for community and environmental concerns.

U.S. May Face $15 Billion Penalty for Rejection of Keystone XL Pipeline
-100

Regulatory Capture

April 8

By exploiting investor-state dispute settlement mechanisms enshrined in NAFTA, the company is leveraging legal avenues to potentially undermine important regulatory measures designed to protect environmental and public health. This use of regulatory frameworks to shield corporate interests is indicative of a broader strategy to erode democratic oversight and accountability.

U.S. May Face $15 Billion Penalty for Rejection of Keystone XL Pipeline
JUL

01

2019

Environmental Lawsuit Challenges Keystone XL Pipeline Construction Permit
-19.84

Environmental groups filed a lawsuit against the federal government over its permit to construct the Keystone XL pipeline, arguing that the permit failed to properly assess environmental impacts and violated environmental laws. The legal challenge highlights concerns over the bypassing of thorough environmental reviews and the potential harm to vulnerable ecosystems and communities.
-40

Public and Political Behavior

April 8

The contested permit process and the subsequent lawsuit reflect a problematic intersection of political decision-making and regulatory bypass. By proceeding with a permit that sidesteps comprehensive environmental review, the project is entangled in a politically charged decision-making process that can undermine democratic oversight and public trust.

Green groups sue to stop Keystone XL construction - The Hill
-30

Business Practices and Ethical Responsibility

April 8

Proceeding with construction despite significant legal challenges and environmental concerns suggests a disregard for ethical business practices and environmental responsibility. The decision to pursue the pipeline amid contested permits raises questions about prioritizing profit over community and environmental safety, which can exacerbate social and ecological harms.

Green groups sue to stop Keystone XL construction - The Hill
MAR

01

2017

Keystone XL Pipeline's Controversial Political Lobbying
-35.45

The Keystone XL pipeline project became a political flashpoint as industry proponents aggressively lobbied for its approval by promising job creation and energy security, while downplaying serious concerns regarding environmental impact and indigenous rights. This intense political pressure, which saw the pipeline repeatedly floated, approved, and canceled by successive administrations, highlights a corporate approach that favored fossil fuel interests over broader public and environmental well‐being.
-80

Political Contributions and Lobbying Efforts

April 8

The extensive lobbying efforts by the oil and gas industry in support of the Keystone XL pipeline—despite mounting evidence of environmental risks and the infringement on indigenous and local community rights—reflect a corporate strategy that prioritized profit and political influence over ethical responsibility and sustainable practices. This approach, by reinforcing fossil fuel dependency and aligning with politically conservative agendas, is seen as complicit in supporting broader authoritarian movements that undermine community protections.

Keystone XL Pipeline – Death of a Pipe Dream