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Nebraskans Protest Keystone XL; Clinton May Be Listening

More evidence that Nebraskans are serious about their opposition to the Keystone XL pipeline: over a hundred citizens rallied at the Nebraska State Capitol on the Legislature's opening day last week to call for limits on eminent domain and tougher controls on pipelines traversing the state. Bold Nebraska was there to remind legislators that they really do have the power and the obligation to regulate a couple-thousand-mile-long environmental hazard to the Sand Hills and the Ogallala Aquifer.

Bold Nebraska provides these video highlights of speakers from the January 5 rally:

In encouraging news, the federal government may be paying attention to citizens on this issue (exactly what the Tea Party wants, want?). Secretary of State Hillary Clinton wrote in a Janaury 6 letter to Nebraska Senator Mike Johanns that her department is considering issuing a supplemental draft environmental impact statement on Keystone XL. A supplemental draft would revise the original draft that the Environmental Protection Agency deemed "inadequate" last summer. Says Clinton:

I recognize that ensuring a complete environmental review of the pipeline--including potential impacts on the Nebraska Sandhills and the Ogallala Aquifer---is an important issue for you, your constituents, and the state of Nebraska.... We are carefully considering your concerns as part of our meticulous environmental review, consistent with the National Environmental Policy Act and Executive Order... We have not made a decision on the Keystone XL pipeline, and will not make one until we complete all steps of our review process [reported by Leslie Moore Mira, "US mulls 'supplemental' draft EIS for TransCanada's Keystone XL: Clinton," Platts.com, 2011.01.10].

It's always good to see citizens and lawmakers speaking up and working together to protect landowners and the environment from unchecked corporate development and greed. South Dakota's lawmakers should end their acquiesence to TransCanada and join Nebraskans in demanding accountability from this foreign oil company.

Related: TransCanada ranks 90th on the Platts Top 250 Global Energy Company list. TransCanada's annual revenues are $8.4 billion, twice the revenue of all of South Dakota state government.