Nebraska approves Keystone XL pipeline route, eliminating last major hurdle for project

After nearly a decade of debate that turned the project into a national flash point over energy development and environmentalism, the Keystone XL oil pipeline now is on the fast track to completion after clearing the last major hurdle Monday in Nebraska. The state’s Public Service Commission voted Monday morning to green-light the pipeline’s route, the final regulatory step needed before TransCanada, the owner and operator of Keystone, can begin construction. The commission voted 3 to 2 in favor of the project. Crystal Rhoades, a member of the commission who voted against the pipeline, said that changes to TransCanada’s proposed route may have left some state landowners in the dark, and she argued there’s little evidence the pipeline will actually help her state. “There are at least 40 landowners along the approved route who may not even know their land is on this pipeline’s path,” she said. “The applicant provided insufficient evidence to substantiate any positive economic impact for Nebraska for this project.” The commission members who voted “yes” on the project did not defend their positions during the brief meeting. The $8 billion project, which will transport more than 800,000 barrels of oil each day from Alberta, Canada, to refineries on the U.S. Gulf Coast, has long been a priority for the oil and gas industry. Sector leaders say the Nebraska commission’s vote Monday sends a strong signal that the state, and the nation as a whole, is committed to energy development...more