HEIDI HEITKAMP

Washington, DC- Senator Heidi Heitkamp today commended the Governor of Nebraska, Dave Heineman, for approving an alternative route for the Keystone XL Pipeline Project.

“I commend Governor Heineman for his approval of the revised Keystone XL Pipeline route. It is now time for the Obama Administration to move quickly to expedite the project,” said Senator Heitkamp. “In North Dakota, we know that the Keystone XL Pipeline means American jobs, increased energy security, and the certainty that comes from dealing with our neighbors to the north. It is imperative that we seek to improve our energy infrastructure in order to take full advantage of the robust energy development in North America, and the Keystone Pipeline is one way to do that. This pipeline has already been subjected to an incredibly exhaustive review process, so I hope the President will move swiftly now that concerns about a route through Nebraska are no longer an impediment.”

Nebraska Gov. Dave Heineman announced today that his state had completed an evaluation of TransCanada's Keystone XL pipeline proposal. He notified the Obama administration that he has approved the Keystone XL Pipeline to cross the state of Nebraska now that revised route no longer crosses through the Sand Hills region of the state.  The decision of whether the Pipeline goes forward now falls to the State Department.

Senator Heitkamp has signed onto a bipartisan letter led by fellow North Dakota Senator, John Hoeven. The letter urges the president to approve the Keystone XL pipeline without further delay.

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