Nebraska Governor Approves the Keystone XL Pipeline Route
Posted: Jan 22, 2013 9:45 AM MST
By: Channel 9 Eyewitness News
[email protected]
Gov. Dave Heineman Tuesday approved the proposed Keystone XL pipeline route reviewed in the final evaluation report, which avoids the environmentally-sensitive Sand Hills region of Nebraska.
Gov. Heineman sent a letter to President Obama and Secretary of State Clinton, notifying them of the accepted Nebraska route.
In the letter Heineman states, "TransCanada has provided assurances to the State of Nebraska that the company would implement mitigation measures. These measures would include: developing an Emergency Response Plan for a crude oil release associated with the operation of the Keystone XL Pipeline, providing fast access to the product's Material Safety Data Sheet in the event of a release, and providing at landowner request baseline water well testing prior to construction for wells within 300 feet of the centerline of the route as well as providing an independent public employee to asct as a liason between Keystone and landowners."
The letter goes on to say that in the event of a release Keystone would be responsible for all costs associated with the state and federal cleanup requirements.