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U.S. NEWS Friday 17 august 2018

Judge orders new federal review of Keystone XL pipeline

By GRANT SCHULTE Montana lawsuit.
Associated Press A State Department spokes-
LINCOLN, Neb. (AP) — A man said the agency was
federal judge has ordered still reviewing the judge's
the U.S. State Depart- order but declined to offer
ment to conduct a more additional comments.
thorough review of the The pipeline would carry up
Keystone XL oil pipeline's to 830,000 barrels of crude
proposed pathway after oil per day from Canada
Nebraska state regulators through Montana and
changed the route, rais- South Dakota to Steele City,
ing the possibility of further Nebraska, where it would
delays to a project first pro- connect with the original
posed in 2008. Keystone pipeline that runs
U.S. District Judge Brian down to Texas Gulf Coast
Morris of Montana said in refineries.
a ruling Wednesday that The State Department's
the State Department must new report noted two ma-
supplement its 2014 envi- jor spills in South Dakota
ronmental impact study of involving the original Key-
the project to consider the stone pipeline, which went
new route. Morris declined into operation in 2010, but
to strike down the federal This March 24, 2017, file photo shows President Donald Trump, flanked by Commerce Secretary added that TransCanada
permit for the project, ap- Wilbur Ross, left, and Energy Secretary Rick Perry, announcing the approval of a permit to build has a lower overall spill
proved by President Don- the Keystone XL pipeline, clearing the way for the $8 billion project in the Oval Office of the White rate than average in the oil
ald Trump in March 2017. House in Washington. Associated Press pipeline industry.q
The Nebraska Public Ser-
vice Commission rejected lay the 1,184-mile project. nate groundwater and the
pipeline developer Trans- TransCanada spokesman property rights of affected
Canada's preferred route Matthew John said com- landowners.
in November 2017, but ap- pany officials are reviewing Pipeline opponents
proved a different path- the judge's decision, and cheered the decision and
way that stretches farther noted that the project has said they were confident
to the east. The "mainline already faced numerous that the courts would find
alternative" route is five federal reviews. He said other violations of federal
miles longer than the com- company officials are still law raised in the lawsuit.
pany's preferred route, cuts working with local, state "We are pleased that
through six different Ne- and federal stakeholders. Judge Morris has rejected
braska counties and runs "We do not anticipate that all of the excuses raised by
parallel to an existing Trans- the ruling will impact the the Trump administration
Canada-owned pipeline current construction prepa- and TransCanada in at-
for 89 miles. ration activities we are cur- tempting to justify the fed-
State Department officials rently undertaking," John eral government's failure
"have yet to analyze the said in an email. to address TransCanada's
mainline alternative route," Environmentalists, Native new route through Nebras-
Morris wrote in his ruling. The American tribes and a co- ka," said Stephan Volker,
State Department has "the alition of landowners have an attorney for the environ-
obligation to analyze new prevented the company mental and Native Ameri-
information relevant to the from moving ahead with can groups that filed the
environmental impacts of construction. In addition to
its decision." the federal lawsuit in Mon-
Last month, the State De- tana that seeks to halt the
partment declared the project, opponents also
pipeline would not have a have a lawsuit pending be-
major impact on Nebras- fore the Nebraska Supreme
ka's water, land or wildlife. Court. Oral arguments in
The report said the com- the Nebraska case aren't
pany could mitigate any expected until October.
damage caused. Critics of the project have
It's not clear whether the raised concerns about
additional review will de- spills that could contami-