Keystone XL Approval May Open Door for Foes to Fight Route

  • Decision mandates alternative path that raises new questions
  • TransCanada CEO says company ‘assessing’ new cost, schedule
TransCanada Wins Keystone XL Approval in Nebraska
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Nebraska’s approval of an alternative route could throw more uncertainty into the mix for the long-delayed Keystone XL oil pipeline.

The Public Service Commission approved TransCanada Corp.’s project on a three-to-two vote, removing one of the last hurdles to the Calgary-based company’s construction of the $8 billion, 1,179-mile (1,897-kilometer) conduit, which has been on its drawing boards since 2008. The decision, though, wasn’t wrinkle-free: The panel mandated an alternative route that was immediately targeted by the project’s opponents as lacking adequate vetting.