Court Approves New Keystone XL Route

Aug. 27, 2019

TC Energy Corp.’s Keystone XL oil pipeline cleared a legal hurdle after the Nebraska Supreme Court ruled that “regulators’ approval of the conduit’s route through the state was valid.” According to a Bloomberg article, the court found there was sufficient evidence to support the Nebraska Public Service Commission’s decision that an alternative route for the pipeline was in the public interest.

The ruling will remove a key roadblock, although legal challenges still remain. The article reports that the project is tied up in a legal battle in Montana over its Army Corps of Engineers permits. According to the article, TC Energy has yet to officially declare it will rebuild the pipeline, as it has missed the window for starting major construction this year. 

The pipeline also faces scrutiny amid the U.S. presidential election from potential candidates like Democrat Elizabeth Warren. Warren has said permits for the pipeline should be revoked due to environmental dangers.

The 1,200 mile pipeline would help carry 830,000 more barrels of crude oil per day from Alberta’s oil sands to U.S. Gulf Coast refineries.

Source: Bloomberg