Keystone XL Letter Dec 2012 NEDEQ
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The letter expresses strong support for approval of the Keystone XL Pipeline project. It summarizes the findings of the draft Nebraska report that were agreed with, including that the revised route avoids environmentally sensitive areas, incorporates numerous protections for water resources, and provides economic benefits to Nebraska and the US through jobs, tax revenue, and increased energy security by reducing reliance on foreign oil. The letter is signed by over 50 mayors, county commissioners, and economic development organization representatives across 10 states along the proposed pipeline route.
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Keystone XL Letter Dec 2012 NEDEQ
- 1. December 4, 2012 Pat Rice via Email: NDEQ.SEISpubliccomment@Nebraska.gov Project Manager NDEQ Pipeline Project Comments P.O. Box 98922 Lincoln, NE 68509-8922 Re: Keystone XL Pipeline Evaluation Dear Mr. Rice: We are writing to express our strong support for findings on the Keystone XL pipeline. We fully support this project because we believe it is in the best interest of our constituents, the state of Nebraska and the entire country. The specific findings in the draft report that we agree with include: The Nebraska Reroute avoids the region that was identified as the Sand Hills by NDEQ, which is based on extensive research conducted by various state and federal agencies several years ago. Keystone provided some route alternatives in the Supplemental Environmental Report which reduces the amount of fragile soils that are crossed in the northern portion of Nebraska. The revised route also establishes greater distances from the sources of drinking water in the communities of Clarks and Western. The report details environmental, economic, social and other impacts along the Nebraska Reroute. Numerous construction and operational mitigation measures would be incorporated to protect groundwater and surface water. Keystone would pay for an independent public employee to act as a liaison to facilitate the exchange of information between Keystone and landowners, local communities, and residents. Keystone would provide baseline water well testing for domestic and livestock water wells within 300 feet of the center line of the route. Keystone would adhere to 57 special pipeline safety conditions that had been previously agreed upon with the U.S. Department of Transportation, Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration. Keystone would be responsible for developing an Emergency Response Plan for a product release associated with the operation of the Keystone XL Pipeline and ancillary facilities. Limon Office Lubbock Office P.O. Box 9 5401 N MLK Blvd., Unit 395 Limon, CO 80828 Lubbock, TX 79403 P: 303.586.1787 P: 806.775.2338 F: 719.775.9073 Fax: 806.775.3981 www.portstoplains.com
- 2. Support for Keystone XL Pipeline – Nebraska Keystone XL Pipeline Review December 4, 2012 Page 2 Keystone has identified several variations of crude oil that would be transported at various times through the pipeline from Alberta, Canada and from the Bakken Formation in Montana and North Dakota. The report contains the general characteristics of the crude oil, which are similar to other crude oils from around the world. In the event of a spill, the appropriate authorities would have immediate access to the product’s Material Safety Data Sheet. In addition to complying with all relevant state and federal cleanup requirements, Keystone will provide evidence that it is carrying $200 million in third party liability insurance to cover cleanup costs for incidents in Nebraska. Our communities are members of the Ports-to-Plains Alliance, a grassroots coalition of cities, counties, businesses, economic development organizations and chambers of commerce from a ten-state, 2,300 mile long transportation and economic development corridor that stretch from Texas to Alberta, Canada, including Nebraska. Keystone XL will provide significant economic benefits for our region. The pipeline is expected to create approximately 20,000 manufacturing and construction jobs in the United States. It could also generate more than $5.2 billion in tax revenue to the Keystone XL corridor states. At a time when state and local governments across the country are struggling to balance their budgets, these employment and revenue benefits are critical to our region. Specific benefits for Nebraska include: More than $465 million in new spending for the Nebraska economy More than 7,500 person years of employment Increased personal income by $314 million Additional state and local tax revenues of more than $11 million $390 million in increased Gross State Product The pipeline is also critical to our country’s efforts to reduce our dependence on Middle East and Venezuelan oil, by increasing our access to supplies from Canada, our neighbor and loyal ally, as well as domestic supplies from the Bakken Formation of Montana and North Dakota. Relying upon regimes that are in many cases unstable and unfriendly to the United States is simply bad energy and national security policy. We have seen the shocks to our economy from oil spikes caused by turmoil in these regions. It is much preferable to develop stable, secure domestic and Canadian sources. By providing refineries along the Texas Gulf Coast with more than 700,000 barrels of oil each day from domestic and Canadian resources, this pipeline will dramatically reduce our reliance on oil from unreliable and often unfriendly sources. As leaders from the region that the entire Keystone XL pipeline will traverse, we applaud the State of Nebraska and the Division of Environmental Quality’s (DEQ) thoroughness during this review process. We also have confidence that TransCanada will be a good steward of the land and that Keystone XL will be constructed using industry best practices and will meet or exceed all existing pipeline regulatory standards. The Keystone XL pipeline is clearly in the nation’s interest and will be a valuable tool in strengthening our national security and energy security. Sincerely,
- 3. Ed Mayo Sandy McCarthy Mayor County Commissioner City of Gering Box Butte County Gering, NE 69341 Alliance, NE 69301 Deb Cottier Lane Danielzuk Director Chairman Nebraska Northwest Development Corp Heartland Expressway Association Chadron, NE 69337 Gering, NE 69341 Tim Garwood Chelsie Herian Board Member Executive Director Heartland Expressway Association Box Butte Development Corporation Alliance, NE 69301 Alliance, NE 69301 Travis Hiner Marlin Johnson Board Member Communications Director Heartland Expressway Association Heartland Expressway Association Scottsbluff, NE 69361 Scottsbluff, NE 69361 Chuck Karpf Steve Burgess Executive Director Ports‐to‐Plains Board / County Panhandle Area Development District Commissioner Gering, NE 69341 Lincoln County Limon, CO 80828 Julie Coonts Beverly Haggard Mayor Ports‐to‐Plains Board / City Council Town of Limon City of Lamar Limon, CO 80828 Lamar , CO 81052
- 4. Roger J. Stagner Patricia Vice Mayor Mayor / Executive Director City of Lamar Town of Genoa / Lincoln County Lamar , CO 81052 Economic Development Genoa, CO 80818 Bill Nyby Brad Bekkedahl County Commissioner City Commissioner Sheridan County City of Willison Plentywood, MT 59254 Williston, ND 58801 Lynn Brackel Douglas W. Ellison County Commissioner Mayor Bowman County City of Medora Bowman, ND 58623 Medora, ND 58645 Brent Sanford Coby Beckner Mayor City Commissioner Watford City Town of Clayton Watford City, ND 58854 Clayton, NM 88415 Justin Bennett Christopher Candelario County Commissioner Chairman Mayor Union County City of Raton Clayton, NM 88415 Raton , NM 87740 Jack Chosvig Walter Hall Mayor County Commissioner Town of Clayton Union County Clayton, NM 88415 Clayton, NM 88415
- 5. Van Robertson Ronald D. Carey County Commissioner Mayor Union County City of Boise City Clayton, NM 88415 Boise City, OK 73933 Paul Alexander John Baker City Councilman Mayor City of San Angelo City of Tahoka San Angelo, TX 76904 Tahoka, TX 79373 Mark J. Barr Mike Brown County Judge County Judge Howard County Tom Green County Big Spring, TX 70720 San Angelo, TX 76903 Terri Beth Carter Eugene Carter County Judge Mayor Sherman County City of Hale Center Stratford, TX 79084 Hale Center, TX 79041 Tommy Duncan Wendell Dunlap Mayor Mayor City of Big Spring City of Plainview Big Spring, TX 70720 Plainview, TX 79072 Charlotte Farmer Carla Garner City Councilmember County Judge City of San Angelo Sutton County San Angelo, TX 76903 Sonora, TX 76950
- 6. Paul Harpole Tom Head Mayor County Judge City of Amarillo Lubbock County Amarillo, TX 79101 Lubbock, TX 79401 Kendall Hirschfeld Ross W. James City Council Mayor City of San Angelo City of Tulia San Angelo, TX 76903 Tulia, TX 79088 Dwain Morrison Alvin New City Councilman Mayor City of San Angelo City of San Angelo San Angelo, TX 76904 San Angelo, TX 76904 Dave Nix Milton Pax Mayor County Commissioner City of Lamesa Moore County Lamesa, TX 79331 Dumas, TX 79029 Rowdy Rhoades Glen Robertson County Judge Mayor Moore County City of Lubbock Dumas, TX 79029 Lubbock, TX 79457 Pat Sims Darrell Stephens Mayor Mayor City of Dumas City of Abernathy Dumas, TX 79029 Abernathy, TX 79311
- 7. Gilberto Cisneros Tom Clark President/CEO Executive Director Chamber of the Americas Metro Denver EDC Denver, CO 80215 Denver, CO 80202 Greg Fulton Preston Gibson President Chairman Colorado Motor Carriers Association Economic Development Council of Denver, CO 80216 Colorado Denver, CO 80236 Linda Hawthorne Joe Kiely Board Member Vice President of Operations Lincoln County Economic Development Ports‐to‐Plains Alliance Limon, CO 80828 Limon, CO 80828 Lisa Nolder Stephanie Salazar Executive Director President & CEO Prowers County Development Inc. Broomfield Economic Development Corp. Lamar , CO 81052 Broomfield, CO 80021 Dave Stone Jack Taylor Town Manager Executive Director Town of Limon S.P.I.R.I.T. Limon, CO 80828 Liberal, KS 67905 Bob Sivertsen Ashley Alderson President Executive Director Highway 2 Association Bowman County Development Havre, MT 59501 Corporation Bowman, ND 58623
- 8. Gaylon Baker Shirley Brentrup Executive Director Rural Development Consultant Stark Development Corporation SJB Consulting Dickinson, ND 58601 Dickinson, ND 58601 Ken Callahan Melana Howe Energy Services Manager CEO Montana Dakota Utilities Howe Enterprises Williston, ND 58801 Hettinger, ND 58639 Beth Innis Terry L. Johnson Auditor President Williams County Belfield Area Chamber of Commerce Williston, ND 58802 Belfield, ND 58622 John Phillips Steve Stenehjem President CEO Economic Development of North Dakota First Internationa Bank & Trust Beulah, ND 58523 Watford City, ND 58854 Linda Svihovec Terri Thiel Auditor Executive Director McKenzie County Dickinson Convention & Visitors Bureau Watford City, ND 58854 Dickinson, ND 58601 Shawn Wenko Bob Donnell Assistant Director Executive Director Williston Economic Development Roswell‐Chaves County EDC Williston, ND 58801 Roswell, NM 88202
- 9. Pete Kampfer Penny Peryatel City Manager Ports‐to‐Plains Board Member / City of Raton President Raton, NM 87740 Northern New Mexico Gas Raton, NM 87740 Blaise Emerson Sandra Adams Executive Director President Black Hills Local Council of Local Governments Lamesa Chamber of Commerce Rapid City, SD 57701 Lamesa, TX 79331 Dora Alcala Christine Allen Former Mayor Director of Foreign Trade Zone City of Del Rio Lubbock Economic Development Alliance Del Rio, TX 78840 Lubbock, TX 79401 Paul Armes John Bertsch President Chairman Wayland Baptist University Ports‐to‐Plains Alliance Plainview, TX 79072 Plainview, TX 79403 Tonya Brown Kevin Carter President Executive Director Sonora EDC Plainview Hale County Industrial Sonora, TX 76950 Foundation Plainview, TX 79072 Sam Cartwright Sid Cauthorn President/CEO Ports‐to‐Plains Board Member / Moore County Chamber of Commerce President/CEO Dumas, TX 79029 The Bank & Trust Del Rio, TX 78841
- 10. Chris Cornell Michael Cypert Business Development City Manager Reece Albert, Inc. City of Abernathy San Angelo, TX 76903 Abernathy, TX 79311 Richard David Donna Davis President/CEO Associate Professor of Marketing Amarillo EDC Rawls College of Business ‐ Texas Tech Amarillo, TX 79101 University Lubbock, TX 79409 Del Rio Hispanic Chamber of Commerce Mike Duran Del Rio, TX 78840 Executive Director Lamesa EDC Lamesa, TX 79331 John Friess Elizabeth Grindstaff Ports‐to‐Plains Board Member Manager of Marketing & Sales Ports‐to‐Plains Alliance Texas‐Pacifico Railroad Sonora, TX 76950 San Angelo, TX 76904 David Hettler Duffy Hinkle CPA Vice President of Membership & Ehler & Hettler Marketing Lubbock, TX 79423 Ports‐to‐Plains Alliance Lubbock, TX 79403 Joshua Jones Brian Kimberly City Manager Director of Business Development City of Hale Center Reese Technology Center Hale Center, TX 79041 Lubbock, TX 79413
- 11. John King Shawn Kirkpatrick Vice President for University Relations Executive Director Lubbock Christian University Levelland EDC Lubbock, TX 79407 Levelland, TX 79336 Frank H. Larson Bill Lavers President Executive Director Del Rio Area Development Development Corporation of Snyder Del Rio, TX 78842 Snyder, TX 79549 Shawn Lewis Mike McBain Director of Community & Economic Development President City of San Angelo Laredo Cotton Transfer, Inc. San Angelo, TX 76903 Laredo, TX 78040 Eddie McBride Todd McKee President Ports‐to‐Plains Board Treasurer / Lubbock Chamber of Commerce President & Chief Lending Officer Lubbock, TX 79401 Peoples Bank Lubbock, TX 79424 Bill Miller Gary Molberg Executive Director President/CEO Reese Technology Center Amarillo Chamber of Commerce Lubbock, TX 79413 Amarillo, TX 79101 Linda Morris Kristen Moudy Executive Director Business Development Specialist Plainview Chamber of Commerce Canadian‐Hemphill County EDC Plainview, TX 79072 Canadian, TX 79014
- 12. Kristine Olsen John Osborne President President Dalhart Area Chamber of Commerce Lubbock Economic Development Alliance Dalhart, TX 79022 Lubbock, TX 79401 Dan Redd Michael Reeves CEO President Borger Economic Development Corp. Ports‐to‐Plains Alliance Borger, TX 79008 Lubbock, TX 79403 Gaynelle Riffe Mike Running Ports‐to‐Plains Board Member / Co‐Owner Executive Director Stratford Grain Company Dumas EDC Stratford, TX 79084 Dumas, TX 79029 Sonia Shannon Eric Turner Assistance Secretary of the Corporation Main Street/CVB Coordinator Central 57 Importers & Exporters Plainview Convention & Visitors Bureau Eagle Pass, TX 78852 Plainview, TX 79072 Debbye Valverde Fred Vera Executive Director City Manager Big Spring Area Chamber of Commerce City of Lamesa Dumas, TX 79720 Lamesa, TX 79331 Jerry Webster Terry Wegman City Administrator Executive Director City of Tahoka Big Spring EDC Tahoka, TX 79373 Big Spring, TX 79720
- 13. Pamela Welch Roger Cable Executive Director Director of Business Development Midland Development Corporation Oftedal Construction, Inc Midland, TX 79701 Casper, WY 82604 Darcy Geigle Len Mitzel Reeve Former Member of Legislative Assembly Cypress County for Alberta Dunmore, AB T1B 0K3 Eastern Alberta Trade Corridor Etzikom, AB T0K 0W0 Lutz Perschon CAO Cypress County Dunmore, AB T1B 0K3