Ryan: Dakota pipeline pause is ‘big-government decision-making at its worst’

House Speaker Paul Ryan (R-Wis.) slammed the Army Corps of Engineers’ decision Sunday to deny the final permits required for the Dakota Access Pipeline project in North Dakota.

In a Sunday evening tweet, Ryan called the announcement “big-government decision-making at its worst.”

This is big-government decision-making at its worst. I look forward to putting this anti-energy presidency behind us. https://t.co/Qu0nFTmGZv

— Paul Ryan (@SpeakerRyan) December 5, 2016

The Army Corps of Engineers earlier Sunday announced it would instead conduct an environmental impact review of the 1,170-mile pipeline project and determine if there are other ways to route it, to avoid a crossing on the Missouri River.

Dakota Access developer Energy Transfer Partners says the current pipeline route is safe, while protestors from the Standing Rock Sioux tribe warned the proposed path threatens both cultural heritage sites and drinking water supplies.

But the company has a strong ally in President-elect Donald Trump, who supports the project, according to a notice sent out to supporters last week.

It appears Ryan is on its said well.

“I look forward to putting this anti-energy presidency behind us,” he tweeted Sunday night.