Nebraska Supreme Court backs state-approved Keystone XL route

Aug. 23, 2019
The Nebraska Supreme Court ruled that a route approved by the state’s Public Service Commission for the proposed Keystone XL crude oil pipeline across the state is in the public interest.

The Nebraska Supreme Court ruled that a route approved by the state’s Public Service Commission for the proposed Keystone XL (KXL) crude oil pipeline across the state is in the public interest. The Aug. 23 decision backing the Mainline Alternative Route, which the PSC approved in a 3-2 vote on Nov. 20, 2017, struck down legal challenges by several of the project’s opponents.

“The Supreme Court decision is another important step as we advance toward building this vital energy infrastructure project,” said Russ Girling, president of Calgary-based TC Energy Corp., the project’s sponsor.

Opponents vowed to continue fighting construction of the proposed 36-in. crude oil pipeline from Hardisty, Alta., to Steele City, Neb.

“The Nebraska legislature and a Democratic President can fix this very bad ruling coming out of the Nebraska Supreme Court,” Bold Nebraska founder and president Jane Kleeb said. “There is nothing American about the KXL pipeline—it is a project with foreign steel and foreign tar sands all headed to the export market.”

An American Petroleum Institute official commended the Nebraska Supreme Court’s decision.

“The Keystone XL Pipeline has gone through 10 years of extensive environmental review under both the Obama and Trump administrations, and will create thousands of high-paying jobs, add millions of dollars to our economy, and help provide reliable and affordable energy to US consumers throughout the country,” API Vice-Pres. of Midstream and Industry Operations Robin Rorick said.

Contact Nick Snow at [email protected].