Within the next 30 days, Governor Heineman must review, then forward a recommendation on the Keystone XL oil pipeline to the U.S. State Department. The governor was given the final 2,000 PLUS evaluation report today (Friday) from the Nebraska Department of Environmental Quality. It states that the re-routed Keystone XL pipeline avoids many areas of fragile soils in Northern Nebraska. The report also agrees that the pipeline would bring an economic boom to the state...$418 million in economic benefits, more than 4,500 jobs and between 11 million and 13 million dollars a year in local property tax revenues. The report also says if TransCanada holds to its promises, the Keystone XL oil pipeline could have minimal environmental impacts in Nebraska. The U.S. State Department, which forwards a recommendation on to President Obama, who has the final say.

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