The President just made it harder for any government agency to interfere in building pipelines. Only the most egregious plans have a chance of being blocked now. One of Trump’s first executive orders was to allow the Dakota access pipeline to be built under Lake Oahu. The lake is the only water source for the Standing Rock Sioux Tribe. Thousand had protested getting worldwide media and support. Many environmental groups had filed suit. His order to the Army Corp effectively eliminated the legal hold-ups.

Why did he allow it? The Energy Transfer Limited Partners was the builder and he was a stockholder and a close friend of CEO Kelcy Warren. One reason he doesn’t want his tax returns made public is the K-1 from ETP would show a conflict of interest and breaking the constitutions emolument clause.

ETP had invested hundreds of millions in a pipeline that Warren wouldn’t reroute a few miles. He thought every place had the Texas “Don’t Care” philosophy. Failure to complete on time was costing ETP millions. This ruling opens up the way for ETP’s Pennsylvania pipeline from the Marcellus gas fields and saving millions.

Packing the district courts with regulation adverse judges makes law suits harder to win. People are now being forced to have pipelines in their backyards without recourse in courts. American is criss-crossed by pipelines older than me. They are leaking.

Oh, Warren donated $100,000 to the Trump campaign and $250,000 to the inaugural. Who says you can’t buy the White House?

In full disclosure, I own some shares in ETP because it bought a company that bought the company I originally bought shares in long ago. Although the company’s morals concern me, a 16% tax qualified distribution is hard to sell.