On Friday, Rachel Maddow reported on the 20,000+ barrel Tesoro oil pipline spill near Tioga, North Dakota, and the controversial delay in response time (11 days) before the public was notified. Kris Roberts, who is leading the North Dakota Health Department’s work with Tesoro on the cleanup, said the state saw no need to publicize the […]

Below is a recap of this week’s news related to the ongoing Keystone XL tar sands pipeline. The massive oil pipeline spill in North Dakota continued to raise fears about Keystone XL this week, as did new reports of public health problems in Canada resulting from the tar sands boom. See below for more.   […]

News broke today that people on the Southeast Side of Chicago now have their own mountain of petcoke, and it is expected to triple by the end of the year. ICYMI: BP tar sands refinery petcoke piles up in Chicago Earlier this summer, people across the country were shocked to learn about the towering mountain of […]

Nebraska Public Power District’s (NPPD) board on Friday voted 6-3 against a proposal to purchase more wind energy for Nebraska, which currently derives the lion’s share of its power from burning coal. Statements from Bold Nebraska director Jane Kleeb, Nebraska Sierra Club policy advocate Ken Winston, NPPD District 11 Director Fred Christensen, and Nebraska Farmers Union […]

TransCanada continues their pattern of threats and intimidation tactics rolling down the same path they have been on for the last four years. Their latest strategies might be some of their most deceptive and corrupt, let’s get you up to speed. TransCanada Sending Checks to Landowners Who Have Not Signed Contracts by Amy Schaeffer Earlier […]

NOTE: This piece originally appeared in the North Platte Bulletin.  It is republished here with permission of the author. Country of Origin Labeling and the specious logic of the NCBA by Sally. J. Herrin, Ph.D. October 6, 2013 “Specious” logic, as law schools teach, means an argument which looks okay at first glance, but on […]

(photo by Mary Anne Andrei)  ATTENTION LINCOLN RESIDENTS AND LES RATEPAYERS: Very soon, leaders at Lincoln Electric System will be meeting to discuss some important budget issues.  LES has been given a proposal for a Clean Local Energy Available Now (CLEAN) project that would allow Lincoln residents and businesses to generate clean solar energy and power their community […]

The National Farmers Union explains how the government shutdown will impact farmers, in this blog cross-posted from the NFU website. How the Government Shutdown Impacts Farmers Posted on | September 30, 2013 | By NFU Government Relations Staff As many of you are aware, the federal government will likely shut down at midnight tonight, Sept. 30. […]

At the Lancaster County Courthouse on Friday, Sept. 27, Judge Stephanie Stacy heard oral arguments in Thompson v. Heineman, a lawsuit filed by three Nebraska landowners challenging the constitutionality of the law passed by the Nebraska legislature and Gov. Dave Heineman (LB 1161), that fast-tracked approval of the proposed Keystone XL pipeline route in Nebraska. […]

From Day 1, the State Department’s review of the Keystone XL pipeline has been polluted by conflicts of interest, insider lobbying and the heavy hand of Big Oil. (Cross-posted from Friends of the Earth, authored by Ross Hammond) A new infographic just released by Friends of the Earth and 350.org gives the details: To conduct […]