Nebraska gives pipeline firm map of areas to avoid

[December 30, 2011]  OMAHA, Neb. (AP) -- The Canadian company that wants to build a $7 billion pipeline to tar sands oil across the Plains to refineries near the Gulf of Mexico now has a map of areas to avoid in Nebraska.

Nebraska officials released the map of the Sandhills region Thursday to guide TransCanada's efforts to develop a new route for the proposed Keystone XL pipeline.

TransCanada agreed in November to develop a new route through Nebraska to avoid the environmentally sensitive Sandhills. The entire project remains on hold while a new route is developed and studied.

TransCanada's proposed Keystone XL project is designed to carry oil from Canada across Montana, South Dakota, Nebraska, Kansas, Oklahoma and Texas. TransCanada also has proposed connecting it to the Bakken oil field in Montana and North Dakota.

[Associated Press]

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