TransCanada withdraws route application in Nebraska

TransCanada – the parent company of the Keystone XL pipeline – is withdrawing its route application in Nebraska as the company ponders next steps.

Spokesperson Mark Cooper said it would have been unfair to have the public service commission look at it during this time, and added there’s a clear and defined process in where it must make a decision in seven to 12 months.

Cooper told 660 NEWS that it’s important to note, the company is not giving up on the state.

“The bottom line is we have a tremendous amount of support in all three states. We signed easements with 100 per cent of landowners in South Dakota and Montana and 91 per cent in Nebraska,” Cooper said. “We have tremendous amount of support in (Nebraska) and we look forward to continuing and moving ahead with the final leg of our project.”

He added that TransCanada already has a pipeline in the state and most so far have been happy with its safety record.

Here is the statement, in full, from TransCanada:

Today, TransCanada informed the Nebraska Public Service Commission that we are withdrawing our route application for Keystone XL in the State, while we pause to consider our next steps following the President’s denial of the permit. Below is a statement. Feel free to attribute to me as a spokesperson or follow up with me directly at the numbers below.

As you are aware, in early October, TransCanada filed an application to the Nebraska Public Service Commission (PSC) for route approval of the Keystone XL project through the State. Since submitting that application to the PSC, the U.S. Administration has made the decision to deny the project.

As we carefully consider our options with regards to the project, we have withdrawn our application to the PSC. We believe it is inappropriate to ask the Commission to continue to move forward on a process that has legally set time lines, while we continue to consider our next course of action.

Since receiving the federal denial we have received continued support of shippers, labor organizations, landowners, government leaders, and other stakeholders interested in this project.

Although we are withdrawing the application at this time, we are reserving the right to reapply to the PSC at a later date and remain committed to completing the final leg of the Keystone Pipeline system, that has already safely delivered over a billion barrels of Canadian and US crude oil to the Midwest and Gulf Coast.

Keystone XL is the safest way to transport needed oil that will be refined in the United States and used for products we need for our everyday lives. It will allow more North American produced crude oil to displace oil from Venezuela and the Middle East and keep jobs and investment here for American men and women.

In fact, during construction the project will add more than 42,000 jobs along the full U.S. value chain and contribute $3.4 billion to the U.S. economy.