Read today's news from around the state and country. Each day in the Roundup we cover politics, always with a side of bold humor. We think politics should be fun, informative and encourage us all to take action.

For decades, pipelines have been built in the United States without much controversy. The result: 2.5 million miles of pipelines now traverse our nation to deliver natural gas, oil and other hazardous liquids to their destinations.¹ Aside from well-publicized ruptures like the San Bruno, California natural gas explosion that took eight lives in 2010, the Kalamazoo Enbridge tar sands spill that occurred in the same year, and the recent Mayflower, Arkansas, spill that coated suburban play sets in oil, it would, at first glance, appear that our nation’s pipelines are extremely safe, that spills are a rarity. However, a closer look reveals that spills are all too common—in 2011 alone there were over 1,000 spills from pipelines.³ Such a high number of spills year after year and the high consequence locations in which many of these spills occur have caused pipeline safety watchdogs and the National Transportation Safety Board to take a hard look at pipeline regulations and push for higher standards.⁴ The overwhelming implication in their reports is that federal regulations are not enough to reduce pipeline risk.⁵

But the idea that pipelines are sufficiently regulated is one that the pipeline industry works hard to legitimize—according to the Association of Oil Pipelines, “Liquid pipelines operate under many layers of protection. Federal and state laws, rules and regulations, regulators and operators all work to keep pipelines safe.”² While pipeline companies tout their goals for zero spills and claim that regulations are more than sufficient, it is clear that in reality; much more can be done to improve the safety of pipelines.

Read today's news from around the state and country. Each day in the Roundup we cover politics, always with a side of bold humor. We think politics should be fun, informative and encourage us all to take action.

Re-posted with permission from Graham Christensen of the Nebraska Farmer's Union

All Renewable Energy Is Not Created Equal

Update 5/14/13: Omaha and Lincoln results are below. Bold hopes all new or re-elected officials listen to citizens. As citizens, even if the person you voted for did not get elected, you still must push to ensure your voice is heard on the issues you care about. Always push for change.

Nebraksa Watchdog has an overview of Omaha results and Lincoln results. We put who won and who lost below.

Read today's news from around the state and country. Each day in the Roundup we cover politics, always with a side of bold humor. We think politics should be fun, informative and encourage us all to take action.

Read today's news from around the state and country. Each day in the Roundup we cover politics, always with a side of bold humor. We think politics should be fun, informative and encourage us all to take action.

Read today's news from around the state and country. Each day in the Roundup we cover politics, always with a side of bold humor. We think politics should be fun, informative and encourage us all to take action.

With the State Department hearing only one week away and the comment period nearing a close, now is the time to make our voices heard loud and clear and demonstrate to the Obama Administration that there are many, many reasons why this pipeline is not in the national interest. Many pipeline fighters and aquifer lovers have already signed up to testify and have submitted comments to the State Department. We hope many more of you will make yourselves heard before April 22 (the deadline for submitting comments to the State Department). Groups on a state and national level are helping collect 1 million signatures by April 22, so make sure you submit one today.

You all have powerful perspectives to bring to the table and every comment and testimony will be valuable in helping stop this pipeline. To help get the testimony and comment-writing brain juices flowing, we have compiled a list of pipeline facts and the sources to back them up. Please feel free to use these sources when writing your comments to the State Department and also let us know if there is another angle we should be including on this list by emailing cjohnson@boldnebraska.org. 

Read today's news from around the state and country. Each day in the Roundup we cover politics, always with a side of bold humor. We think politics should be fun, informative and encourage us all to take action.