Trans Canada Corp submits application for revised Keystone XL route

The U.S. State Department has confirmed that Trans Canada Corp has submitted a revised route application for the Keystone XL pipe line from the U.S. Canadian border to Steele City Nebraska.

Obama had rejected an earlier route after objections from Nebraska and environmentalists. No doubt the new route will avoid the environmentally sensitive areas critics had identified in the earlier route.

Republicans had been critical of Obama for rejecting the earlier plan. They claimed that the rejection has cost thousands of jobs. Yet even the state of Nebraska had been critical of the proposed route.

The State Dept. did not say how long a new review of the route would take. However, they did say that some of the earlier analysis could be applied to the new route. Even so, it will well into 2013 and well after the upcoming presidential election before a decision is made.

No doubt some environmentalists will be critical of the new route. Some environmentalists are simply against further development of oil from the Alberta Tar Sands because production of this oil is in itself environmentally destructive. However, the state of Nebraska may approve the new route. For more see this article.