Nebraska regulators approved an alternative route Monday for the proposed Keystone XL pipeline. It was the last major regulatory hurdle facing project operator TransCanada Corp., though opponents say another round of federal approval may now be needed.
The Nebraska Public Service Commission's ruling was on the Nebraska route TransCanada has proposed to complete the $8 billion, 1,179-mile (1,897-kilometer) pipeline to deliver oil from Alberta, Canada, to Texas Gulf Coast refineries. The proposed Keystone XL route would cross parts of Montana, South Dakota and most of Nebraska to Steele City, Nebraska.
The long-delayed project was rejected by President Barack Obama in 2015, citing concerns about carbon pollution. President Donald Trump revived it in March, approving a permit.
[...] The five-member Nebraska Public Service Commission was forbidden by law from factoring pipeline safety or the risk of spills into its decision because pipeline safety is a federal responsibility. So, it couldn't take into account a spill of 210,000 gallons (790,000 liters) of oil on the existing Keystone pipeline in South Dakota announced on Thursday.
Also at Alternative Keystone XL route gets approved in Nebraska
(Score: 2) by realDonaldTrump on Tuesday November 21 2017, @08:13PM
I approved the Keystone XL, as I promised. I didn't approve the other one, the regular size Keystone. I guarantee, I would have approved it, I didn't get to approve that one. Nebraska had to approve the Keystone XL. I didn't say they approved it, the story doesn't say they approved it. But they approved it. It needed to happen and it happened, which is tremendous. Great job by Editor Mrpg putting that in! I promised Transcanada and the American people -- I always, always put the American people first -- I would approve the Keystone XL. And now it's going to get built. Terrific! #PromisesKept [twitter.com]