By: Hollie Hojek
hhojek@kcautv.com
Water contamination, liability and safety in general. Those are just some of the concerns from folks here in Verdigre NE tonight, over the latest route proposal for the Key Stone X-L Pipeline. And before they say "yes" or "no," they want some answers.
"This is my property. Starting point is here and it goes, it's 1.2 miles across my property."
Byron Steskal's father bought this land over 70 years ago, for a meager $5.15 . Now TransCanda is looking to acquire some of his property, to build the Keystone X-L Pipeline. But before Steskal goes selling off his family's land, there's some questions he wants answered. He, along with several others.
"What are they going to do with it, what's in the pipeline for sure?," said Bob Krutz, Orchard NE.
"Who's liable when there's a spill," said Steskal.
The latest proposed route for the pipeline shows it running right through the Ogallala Aquifer, a natural resource in Nebraska. It would also run next to the water shed in Verdigre, which supplies water to thousands of people in this rural area. Making water contamination a primary concern for Nebraskans.
"How do we know how safe it is?," asked Krutz.
It's this concern and many others, that state environmental representatives are trying to answer; stressing the importance of any pipeline developments that may arise.
"Anyone who lives downstream in the river, or on the aquifer should be paying attention to this issue, because it's an important issue," said Ben Gotschall, member of Bold Nebraska.
But equally important? Is finding the perfect place to put it.
"If it has to go through Nebraska there should be an energy corridor and it should sit next to Keystone Pipeline One. It makes no sense to have pipelines crossing all over the state of Nebraska and further more crossing all over the Aquifer," said Amy Schaffer, member of N.E.A.T., Nebraska Easement Action Team.
The Nebraska Department of Environmental Equality is expected to complete it's evaluation the pipeline proposal by the first week of January. Then it's off to the hands of Governor Dave Heineman who will have about 30 days to approve or deny it. Then it's off to the white House.
