House Members Urge Pipeline Approval

CALGARY, Alberta � Nine members of the U.S. House of Representatives from Texas along with 30 members from 18 other states Thursday urged U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton to expeditiously approve a permit for the TransCanada firm’s $7 billion Keystone XL pipeline project. Among those Texans is Jeb Hensarling, whose district covers much of East Texas. The pipeline, from Canada to the Nederland-Port Arthur area, would run through a significant portion of East Texas.

�The importance of the Keystone XL pipeline for American energy security and the economy are undeniable,� the Congressional members wrote to Clinton. �In a time when we need them most, the Keystone XL pipeline is expected to create 13,000 high-wage American construction jobs and generate millions of dollars in tax revenues for state and local governments. In addition, this pipeline will create thousands of auxiliary jobs by providing American energy security and reducing our dependence on other less stable regions of the world.�

But as our news partner KETK recently reported, some residents are concerned. Friday, a group of East Texans met in Tyler to voice their concerns about the pipeline and to learn more about how it might affect the area. They say their main concern is the sand and oil mixture running through the pipeline. They want to make sure that the quality of the pipe is kept to the highest standards to prevent corrosion and possible pollution. Eleanor Fairchild a owns a farm in Wood County and says, “I really wish it wouldn’t come across here… but if it does come across here it should be built in a way that’s as safe as possible.” TransCanada says the first phase of the pipeline has been completed, and commercial deliveries of crude oil to U.S. Midwest markets at Wood River and Patoka, Illinois, commenced on June 30. Texas is the last stretch of the project.