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President Donald Trump on Thursday granted a key approval for a major new oil pipeline project that would carry crude from Canada into the United States through Montana and Wyoming. The permit authorizes the Bridger Pipeline Expansion to cross the border between Saskatchewan and northeastern Montana, an action the company and supporters have compared to past Keystone XL disputes.
The project centers on a three-foot-wide (1 meter) expansion known as the Bridger Pipeline Expansion. Company officials said it would carry up to 550,000 barrels (87,400 cubic meters) of oil per day from Canada through Montana and into Wyoming, where it would connect with another pipeline. Bridger Pipeline said additional state and federal environmental approvals are still needed before construction can begin, with company officials expecting to start next year.
The pipeline is often dubbed “Keystone Light” because it shares features with the Keystone XL pipeline that was blocked under President Joe Biden. Trump said in remarks after signing the approval that he considered it a break from the last administration, saying, “Slightly different from the last administration. They wouldn’t sign a pipeline deal. And we have pipelines going up.” Trump’s approval came as part of a broader campaign to expand U.S. pipeline activity, and it follows the cancellation of Keystone XL when Biden took office in 2021, a move that frustrated Canadian officials, including Prime Minister Justin Trudeau.
Bridger Pipeline LLC said in a statement that more than 70% of the planned work would take place within existing pipeline corridors. The company also said 80% of the route would be on private land, and it said the line would not cross any Native American reservations. Bill Salvin, a company spokesperson, said the pipeline would transport various grades of crude, including from Canada’s oil sands region, for export or refining in the United States.
Salvin said the permit Trump signed includes authority for other petroleum products in addition to crude oil, including gasoline, kerosene, diesel and liquified petroleum gas. He said those permissions keep the company’s options open, while Bridger’s focus remains on crude oil. The Casper, Wyoming-based company also said it operates more than 3,700 miles (5,950 kilometers) of gathering and transmission pipelines in the Williston Basin of North Dakota and Montana and the Powder River Basin of Wyoming.
Environmental groups have criticized the project, arguing that it carries spill risks even if operators use new technology and safety measures. Jenny Harbine, an attorney with the environmental law firm Earthjustice, said in court filings and public statements that the risk is inherent to pipelines, saying, “The biggest concern we see right now is the concern inherent in all pipeline projects which is the risk of spills,” adding, “Pipelines rupture and leak. It’s just a fact of pipelines.” Environmental groups opposing the project include the Montana Environmental Information Center and WildEarth Guardians.
The reporting also highlighted Bridger Pipeline’s safety and spill history as an issue environmental advocates say should inform how regulators weigh the proposal. The article said subsidiaries of True Company, which includes Bridger Pipeline and other entities, have been involved in major pipeline accidents, including a 2015 spill of more than 50,000 gallons (240,000 liters) of crude into the Yellowstone River that fouled a Montana city’s drinking water supply, a 2022 diesel spill in Wyoming of about 45,000 gallons, and a 2016 incident involving more than 600,000 gallons (2.7 million liters) of crude that contaminated the Little Missouri River in North Dakota and a tributary.
Salvin said Bridger developed an AI-based leak detection system after the Yellowstone spill to notify operators more quickly when there are problems. He also said the company plans to bore 30 to 40 feet (9 to 12 meters) beneath major rivers, including the Yellowstone and Missouri, to reduce the chance of an accident, noting that the 2015 incident occurred on a line constructed in a shallow trench at the bottom of the river. Salvin said, “We designed the pipeline with integrity and safety in mind. We have emergency response plans should something happen where oil happens to get out of the line, which is fairly rare.”
Bridger Pipeline spokespersons said the company hopes to begin construction in the fall of 2027 and complete it by late 2028 or early 2029. They also said the approval could help the company avoid potential reversals under a future administration if construction starts and progresses before Trump leaves office. Trump’s term ends Jan. 20, 2029.