Posted In: News, TransCanada Pipeline
We showed up strong to the State Department meetings in Lincoln and Atkinson. We made factual, scientific, economic, national security and deep emotional pleas to stop the pipeline. We stood as one Nebraska, we stood as a united Nebraska, we stood as a bold Nebraska.
Many of you are asking, "What's next?"
Before we dive into next steps, check out the pictures from Lincoln and celebrate the change we are making in our state. We will post the Atkinson pictures and videos soon.
The Lincoln Journal Star editorial board laid it all out in black and white--Governor Heineman's and our state senators' continually deferring to the federal government instead of putting proper state-based regulations in place is "a meek and convenient way out."
If Gov. Heineman and the Unicameral fail to act, then as citizens we will pick up the ball and run with it. We have a small window to see if they will lead.
In the meantime, we cannot just sit here and wait. Here are some action ideas:
1) On Monday, state senators Dubas and Haar will unveil their bill to give a state agency authority to route oil pipelines. We will post the bill as well as a detailed request on how you can help make sure a special session gets called before the end of the year. Watch our website on Monday and when we post the action, please please do it and spread the word.
2) Write a letter to your local paper about how it felt to testify, about watching fellow Nebraskans from all walks of life, about listening to the testimony or about your disappointment that certain elected officials were absent (e.g. state senator Deb Fischer, Gov. Heineman and Att. Gen. Bruning).
3) On October 7th, a few Nebraska and Texas landowners will head to Washington, DC to give testimony at the national and final State Department meeting. Follow @janekleeb for updates from DC. If you have not yet provided written testimony on why you oppose the pipeline, please send that to info@boldnebraska.org. We will hand deliver those while in DC.
Lastly, mark October 21st on your calendar. We are planning an event that will take place during the day and night. We will need your help. More details soon!
If you are looking for even more things to do, check out our Action Page.
You are making an impact. Your voice is being heard. You can stop this pipeline.
Comments
October 1st 2011
Margie39 - A bill to give a state agency authority to route oil pipelines is NOT GOOD ENOUGH. It is an invitation for the agency to be bought by large corporations. ... First and foremost, rule the Sandhills an area where no future oil pipelines may be built. Next, establish a state agency to route all energy lines through the state. This isn't just about a few ranchers, or even about Nebraska. This is about water for American agriculture. We cannot have a bill that allows our water to be poisoned so that ANY company can make money at the expense of our agriculture. Everybody says oil is in the national interests. How much MORE is agriculture in the national interests. The Ogallala supports 30% of American agriculture. Nobody can claim that a pipeline supports 30% of American oil. Protect the Sandhills. Protect the Ogallala. Protect American food and water!
October 3rd 2011
columbanus - Wow, deleted a counter argument already? Don't have the information to back up your position? Open minded? Once again proving that TransCanada is more transparent and honest than BoldNE. If only Nebraskans knew your true nature. In case you missed it the sciences of geology, physics, and chemistry all point to a lack of a threat to the aquifer. Politically if this were about the aquifer you would be opposed to the pipeline in place. Economically the state is heading toward the outcome of the eerily similar situation regarding the low energy radioactive waste facility that cost the state $150 million in lawsuits. Let me know whom to blame when that comes to pass again.
October 3rd 2011
Malinda Frevert - I deleted your comment because I responded to a duplicate on our other page: http://boldnebraska.org/need-to-know-state-dept. If you prefer TransCanada to Bold, that's fine. I truly hope you enjoy their company, though we haven't met many Nebraskans who do. In case you missed it, there is a total LACK of science about what a tarsands spill would do in the Sandhills. This is not a political issue because we have a diverse coalition of Nebraskans opposed to this route. We did not exist when the first one went in the ground, so to condemn us for that is simply ridiculous. We aren't fans of the current pipeline because it has leaked so much, and that is another reason we support state-based regulations to protect our land and water.
October 5th 2011
Russell Cook - Ben Nelson did the right thing in getting rid of the radioactive waste mess. The reason we paid any money in lawsuits is b/c Jon Bruning is a crappy lawyer.