§2007 Decision of President

Summary

The President must review all information about the proposed crude oil transportation systems and, after talking with the Secretaries of Energy, the Interior, and Transportation, decide which, if any, to approve for the special steps in this law (sections 2008–2011 cover waiver rules, faster permitting, talks with Canada, and judicial review). The President can change a proposal before approving it. He must make his decision within 45 days after getting the recommendations and comments under section 2005(c). He can delay up to 60 more days if he needs extra time, but must tell the House and Senate right away and explain why. Any approval must say the project is in the national interest and be based on specific findings. Those findings must cover the system’s useful life and include things like environmental impacts and safety; oil supply and demand for northern and inland states; transport costs and delivered prices; construction timing and possible delays; financing and cost estimates (and risk of overruns); national economic effects; whether it follows the Trans‑Alaska Pipeline law; effects on international relations (including Canadian approvals); competition; delivery interruption risks; expansion capacity and costs; national security; relation to national energy policy; and any other relevant factors. When announcing a decision, the President must publish a written statement that explains the findings for each factor, describes any approved system and route, and says why an approved system was chosen over others. That statement must be published in the Federal Register.