(April 21, 2014) - On April 19, the U.S. State Department announced it is delaying the Keystone XL pipeline’s National Interest Determination (NID) phase due to the “uncertainty” created by a Nebraska judge’s February decision to invalidate a state law permitting the governor to authorize the project’s construction in the Cornhusker state.
The State Department’s proclamation came as it was conducting a 90-day consultation period, expected to conclude in early May, in which federal agencies had the opportunity to submit comments on whether the pipeline was in the national interest. The NID is expected to be the last step before President Obama approves or denies the project.
Early last year, after Nebraska lawmakers shifted exclusive route-approval authority from the Public Service Commission (PSC), Republican Gov. Dave Heinemann approved building approximately 200 miles of the pipeline proposed to go through his state. The state is integral to Keystone’s completion, which will travel from Canada to the Gulf of Mexico.
Several landowners with property along the pipeline’s path challenged the constitutionality of the legislature’s decision to divest the sole project approval from the PSC. The governor appealed the court’s ruling, asserting lawmakers had the power to transfer authority to him.
Lawmakers, including Democratic senators running tight re-election campaigns, have been pushing the White House to make a final determination as soon as possible. The administration’s latest delay will only build more momentum for legislative action to approve the Keystone XL pipeline.
Associated Equipment Distributors (AED) is playing a leadership role in the effort to get the pipeline approved. Most recently, AED coordinated comments from 20 leading construction organizations arguing that the project was squarely in the national interest and urging that construction begin immediately. Visit AEDaction.org to urge your lawmakers to get KXL built.
