HOUSTON, TX: Consumer Energy Alliance (CEA) strongly supports yesterday’s approval of legislation that provides the Nebraska Department of Environmental Quality with authority to evaluate the new route within Nebraska for the Keystone XL pipeline. The legislation will now allow TransCanada to submit a new route to NDEQ, which will initiate the environmental review of the project.

In response, CEA Executive Vice President Michael Whatley released the following statement:

“CEA is extremely pleased to see that the Nebraska Legislature has passed this comprehensive, thorough and fair legislation that will allow Nebraska to ensure that its environment is protected and allow TransCanada to move forward with the Keystone XL project.”

“We are also pleased that the selection and environmental review of the new route should start shortly and hope that the Obama Administration will work with the State of Nebraska to review the new route, expiditiously grant the Presidential Permit and allow construction of this critical project.”

“This is truly an important step forward towards the realization of an “all of the above” energy policy and CEA looks forward to working with both NDEQ and the Administration to ensure the project’s approval moving forward.