UPDATE (9/26/11):
This update is just to remind interested parties that a public meeting on the Keystone XL project will be held Tuesday in Glendive. Northern Ag Network will be in attendance and there is already talk of picketers being present at the meeting.
UPDATE (9/21/11):
The U.S. Department of State is holding a series of public meetings and other opportunities for the public to comment on the Keystone XL project.
The hearing scheduled to take place on Tuesday, Sept. 27th in Glendive at Dawson Community College from 4:30-10:00 p.m. is expected to draw a great deal of attention given the recent Exxon oil spill. The Montana Energy Forum will have two busses departing from Billings on Sept. 27th at 8:00 a.m. to bring all interested people to Glendive to participate in the hearing. The busses will arrive in Glendive at approximately noon. Lunch and other activities will be planned while waiting for the start of the hearing. The busses will be returning to Billings late after the conclusion of the hearing. There is NO charge to participate in this!
Please give careful consideration to participating in the hearing.
If you are interested in receiving more details or would like to testify at the hearing, please email pierce@bigskyeda.org. Click here for additional details on the Keystone XL Pipeline.
Another meeting is scheduled on Thursday, September 29th at the Best Western Ramkota in Pierre, South Dakota from 12:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m.
You can also submit your comments to the U.S. State Department by going to the Montana Petroleum website by clicking HERE!.
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UPDATE (8/18/11): The State Department did issue its final environmental impact statement Friday for the Keystone Pipeline The statement affirmed earlier findings that its construction and operation will have “limited adverse environmental impacts.” This puts $7 billion Keystone XL pipeline closer to reality, though it was emphasized that the analysis “is one piece of the information that will be considered” by the State Department in making a final decision on the permit by the end of the year. The department will have to conduct a 90-day review of whether the project is in the “national interest” before deciding whether to allow the pipeline to go through.
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ORIGINAL STORY FROM 8/18/11:
This week Russell Nemetz had a chance to catch up with Alex Pourbaix. He is the President of Energy and Oil Pipelines for TransCanada. One of the company’s latest projects is the Keystone Pipeline that will be crossing through our region.
Hear Pourbaix discuss the purpose of the new pipeline addition.
TransCanada says that if all the criteria that we just mentioned by Jones are met; construction could begin in the spring of 2012.
For an interactive version of the map below or for more information from the company, visit TransCanada’s website.
© Northern Ag Network 2011
Russell Nemetz & Haylie Shipp