Tag Archives: landowners on the proposed Keystone XL route

UNO prof says pipeline would hurt land values

By Paul Hammel, Omaha World-Herald

LINCOLN — A University of Nebraska at Omaha professor testified Wednesday that land values and tax revenue would be hurt by construction of the Keystone XL pipeline. Michael O’Hara, an economics professor, said rural land values along the pipeline route would fall by 15 percent because of the risks of oil spills, limitations on development and expensive studies that would be required to prove that the land hadn’t been contaminated. Read more here.

Photo by Brendan Sullivan / Omaha World-Herald. Michael O’Hara on the right. A court reporter is to his left.

More Articles

Judge: XL foes can’t testify about safety, necessity

By Paul Hammel, Omaha World-Herald

LINCOLN — Pipeline developer TransCanada has won a ruling that bars Nebraska landowners and others who oppose its Keystone XL project from testifying about potential oil leaks and whether the pipeline is needed . . . Former Lancaster County District Judge Karen Flowers, who was hired to conduct next week’s hearings over the proposed Keystone XL, ruled that issues such as safety, necessity of the pipeline and whether the U.S. needs the Canadian oil are beyond the purview of the state’s review. She issued more than 30 rulings, based on objections filed by TransCanada, about what testimony would and would not be allowed at next week’s hearings over the Keystone XL’s 275-mile route across the state. Read more here, including statements by Jane Kleeb, founder of Bold Nebraska, now Bold Alliance.

ADDITIONAL RECOMMENDED READING

Meet Jane Kleeb: Nebraska’s Boldest Keystone XL Pipeline Fighter, EcoWatch

As the founder of Bold Nebraska, which has since grown into the multistate Bold Alliance, Kleeb has successfully united Republicans and Democrats, ranchers and native tribes, country folk and city dwellers to battle the oil company’s attempts to push its project through. And while the U.S. State Department’s March 24 announcement that it was reauthorizing the project certainly dealt a blow to their common cause, the diverse group is not backing down.

  • Skeptics in oil industry question whether Keystone XL pipeline is still needed, by Paul Hammel, Omaha World-Herald
  • Infographic: How Tar Sands Oil Is Processed
    Bitumen from the mines is usually processed at an upgrading facility into synthetic crude oil. On average it takes about two tons of mixed tar sands to produce one barrel of crude oil. Raw bitumen can be denser than water, which can make it harder to clean up when it spills into waterways. Source: Energy Information Administration, Government of Alberta/Alberta Energy. Infographic: Alyson Hurt, Ayodha Ouditt and Andrew Prince / NPR 
  • Celebrate First Ever American Wind Week: Nebraska’s wind development milestones to date and many more projects “in the pipeline” — under construction and proposed.

Top Photo: Keystone XL Public Hearing in Omaha at the Ralston Arena on July 26th.
Credit: Bold Nebraska

Protesters plan to put solar panels in the oil pipeline’s path

Nebraska Radio Network Contributor, William Padmore, KLIN,  Lincoln

With the Nebraska Public Service Commission’s weeklong Keystone XL public hearing in Lincoln starting next Monday, BOLD Nebraska is launching a new plan to fight against the planned pipeline. BOLD founder Jane Kleeb says the group plans to place solar panels directly in the way of the pipeline’s proposed route. Continue reading here.

ADDITIONAL RECOMMENDED READING / VIEWING
Keystone opponents build solar panel on pipeline’s route, Nebraska TV
Jane Kleeb, founder of Bold Nebraska, said they’ve raised over $40,000 online for their Solar XL Project and said they’re turning their words into action. “We’re not just out in the streets protesting with signs, but we’re actually building the type of energy we want to see,” Kleeb said. Polk County farmer, Jim Carlson, is the first to install a solar panel and said he turned down $250,000 from the Trans-Canada Corporation.

NBC Nebraska Newscast: Local farmer builds solar panel array on land to fight Keystone XL pipeline

PUBLIC SERVICE COMMISSION HEARINGS
August 7th through the 11th at 9 a.m. at the Lincoln Marriott Cornhusker Hotel, 333 South 13th Street, Lincoln, Nebraska. Click this link for more information: http://www.psc.nebraska.gov/natgas/Keystone_Pipeline.html

August 4th Omaha World-Herald Article Regarding Testimony:
Judge: XL foes can’t testify about safety, necessity

Public Comment Form: http://www.psc.nebraska.gov/admin/admin_forms/pipeline.html