Pipeline bill approved

Source: Omaha World Herald / Omaha.com

LINCOLN — As the Nebraska Legislature gave 47-0 final approval Thursday to a bill concerning the controversial Keystone XL pipeline, a group of state senators asked the federal government to delay a decision on the project until next May.

U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton is on track to make a decision on the crude-oil pipeline by the end of the year, but U.S. Rep. Lee Terry, R-Neb., recently asked Clinton to move up her timetable to Nov. 1, saying the feds already had all the information they need.

But on Thursday, State Sen. Ken Haar of Malcolm joined four other senators in urging the State Department to wait until May 2012. That, a letter from the senators said, would give the Nebraska Legislature more time to consider more legislation involving the pipeline.

Sens. Colby Coash of Lincoln, Annette Dubas of Fullerton, Tony Fulton of Lincoln and Kate Sullivan of Cedar Rapids joined Haar in signing a letter urging the delay.



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