Opinion ID: 2768591
Heading Depth: 3
Heading Rank: 4

Heading: The State’s Actions in R esponse

Text: to TransCanada’s P roposed Pipeline Route On April 18, 2012, TransCanada submitted for the DEQ’s review its preferred alternative route, which it revised to avoid the Sandhills. On May 4, TransCanada filed a new application with the U.S. Department of State to construct the Keystone XL pipeline. On May 24, the DEQ entered into a memorandum of understanding with the U.S. Department of State to collaborate on an environmental review of potential pipeline routes in Nebraska. About 8 weeks later, the DEQ issued a “Feedback Report” after holding public meetings along the corridor of TransCanada’s proposed new route. This report identified Nebraskans’ concerns, summarized the DEQ’s review efforts, and disclosed its concerns to TransCanada to give TransCanada an opportunity to address these concerns in its routing decision. In September 2012, TransCanada submitted a report to the DEQ entitled “Supplemental Environmental Report for the Nebraska Reroute.” In this report, TransCanada stated that it had revised its preferred reroute in response to the DEQ’s feedback report and comments from landowners that the pipeline 36 Id., § 8. 37 Id., § 3(4) (codified at § 57-1503(4)). 38 See § 57-1409. 39 See L.B. 1161, § 11. Nebraska Advance Sheets 810 289 NEBRASKA REPORTS would still cross fragile land areas with high water tables. The extensive report comprised TransCanada’s evaluation of the review factors required by L.B. 1161: “The analysis presented in this [Supplemental Environmental Report] supports [the] DEQ’s review and approval of a preferred route in Nebraska.” The parties stipulated that if built, the proposed pipeline would cross Nebraska’s border with South Dakota in Keya Paha County and continue to Nebraska’s Kansas border in Jefferson County. In October, the DEQ issued its “Draft Evaluation Report” for public comment. On January 3, 2013, the DEQ submitted its final evaluation report to the Governor. On January 22, the Governor approved TransCanada’s proposed route and asked the President and the U.S. Secretary of State to include Nebraska’s evaluation in the U.S. Department of State’s supplemental environmental impact statement.