DALLAS (WBAP/KLIF News) – A vote by a public service commission in Nebraska has paved the way for TransCanada’s Keystone X.L. pipeline.
The commission approved the pipeline’s route through the state and made Nebraska the last affected state to give approval.
The vote is considered a win for the Calgary-based company’s plan to built the $8 billion, 1179-mile pipeline which has been met with backlash since 2008.
Dallas-area energy consultant John Auers said the 3-2 decision was expected.
“There was really no basis for turning it down. In fact, in a lot of ways a 3-2 vote is kind of surprising to me that two people voted against it but there was a lot of politics involved,” he said.
Although vote is a significant win for TransCanada, Auers said there are still hurdles to jump over.
“They still need commercial acceptance. They’ve gone through their open season and got fairly good response but there was still some qualifications on some of the shipper commitments. I think in the next couple of months we’ll hear more from TransCanada on how they’re going to proceed,” he said.
According to the Associated Press, the chairman of the Sisseton Wahpeton Oyate tribe in South Dakota said members were frustrated with the decision in the aftermath of a recent leak from TransCanada’s existing pipeline that spilled over 200,000 gallons of oil near the their reservation.
Dave Flute said his tribe plans on joining the protest against the pipeline.
President Trump has said that the success of the pipeline will boost the United State’s economy.
Trump also championed the completion of the controversial Dakota Access Pipeline, which was funded by Dallas-based Energy Transfer Partners LP.
The company was met with backlash after it spilled drilling mud and underground cuttings into two Ohio wetlands back in April.
ETP said the materials were non-toxic but the Environmental Protection Agency disagreed and said the materials could change water chemistry and could potentially have a negative impact on small wildlife.
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