Nebraska GOP governor opposed to Keystone XL pipeline

Nebraska Gov. Dave Heineman, a Republican, has come out publicly in opposition to the approval of the Keystone XL project, which would carry tar sands oil from Alberta, Canada to the Gulf Coast of the United States by going through his home state.


In a letter to President Obama and Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, who are responsible for approving or denying the permit for the project, Heineman says that the risk of a spill that could damage the Ogallala aquifer, which provides drinking and irrigation water for Nebraska and surrounding states.

“Maintaining and protecting Nebraska’s water supply is very important to me and the residents of Nebraska,” Heineman said in the letter. “This resources is the lifeblood of Nebraska’s agriculture industry.”

Heineman’s letter lends a high-profile Republican voice to ongoing efforts by environmentalists, ranchers, public lands groups and many Democrats to scuttle the project, which would carry Canadian oil sands from Alberta to refineries on the Texas Gulf Coast.