DOCUMENTS SOUGHT ON TRUMP APPROVAL OF KEYSTONE PIPELINE

Opponents of the proposed Keystone XL oil pipeline from Canada are asking a judge to force the U. S. government to turn over emails and other documents related to President Donald Trump’s approval of the project. Environmentalists who sued to stop the 1,800-kilometre pipeline said the documents could bolster their case that Trump’s decision was arbitrary and should be overturned by the courts. The pipeline is sponsored by Alberta- based TransCanada Corp., which is siding with the U. S. government in the document dispute. TransCanada announced last month that it hopes to begin construction in 2019 after securing enough commitments from oil companies to ship approximately 500,000 barrels per day through the line. U.S. Justice Department attorneys argued in court filings that the disputed documents include internal deliberations that don’t have to be made public. They said the request amounts to a “fishing expedition” and should be rejected. Formal arguments were scheduled for Wednesday.