The President is traveling to Cushing on Thursday to show support for domestic oil production and support for a TransCanada pipeline that would go from OK to the TX port (and then off to the highest bidder from a refinery owned by Saudi Arabia).

We wanted to give folks a quick update on the Nebraska route and where we stand on the President’s visit.

TransCanada has not submitted their new route even though to the press in January and again in early March they said they would have a new route “within weeks.” 

TransCanada pretty much says and does whatever they want without consequence, this is yet another example.

TransCanada is unfit to build.

They lie to landowners about eminent domain. They lie to Nebraskans about job numbers and “energy security.” They lie to us about their top of the line steel and safety measures. This is so obvious to all of us who follow TransCanada and have seen the 12 leaks in 12 months.

Then just yesterday, TransCanada admitted they have to shut their pipeline down again because a pig is now on the loose.

But back to the process of the Nebraska route and the President…

As we wrote last week, we are opposed to the new bill written by TransCanada and state senator Jim Smith that gives TransCanada an easier path to get their route approved and gives them immediate eminent domain authority.

Current Nebraska law would require about a year process before their route was approved. They do not want to wait that long.

TransCanada has NOT applied for a federal permit again and WON’T until they have a Nebraska route approved because they want to be able to have that talking point since Nebraska has been the focus of concern.

This is a political calculation on their part and the GOPs part. You see, they want to be able to say in the 2012 election cycle “The President is the only one against this pipeline, even Nebraska has approved of the pipeline.”

Worse, TransCanada is using the Nebraska Legislature (and $2million of our tax payer dollars) to get their election year talking point.

We are not sure they will ever apply for a federal permit again, to be honest at this point we think this is all political calculation on the GOP and TransCanada’s part. Let them prove us wrong.

As for the President’s visit to Cushing…

The President knows another pipeline is not going to lower gas prices (but don’t tell that to Fox News which keeps parroting this misleading talking point).

America has record high oil production, we support this and domestic oil along with investing in a clean energy economy help our energy security.

Yet, gas prices are still high.

The TransCanada pipeline (according to Bloomberg, TransCanada and scores of others) have all admitted that their line will actually increase gas prices in the Midwest.

We are confident the President will not allow a tarsands pipeline to risk the Ogallala Aquifer and our Ag economy.

We stood proud when President Obama said,”Folks in Nebraska, like folks all across the country, aren’t going to say to themselves, ‘We’re going to take a few thousand jobs if it means our kids are potentially drinking water that would damage their health.” 

So while the President is supporting a pipeline from Cushing to the gulf coast, we do not think this moves signals approval for TransCanada’s denied Keystone XL, in fact we think it signals just the opposite. 

You could argue that allowing TransCanada to build this portion could be viewed as a win-win for all sides.  It gives TransCanada an outlet to export their tarsands (which we obviously think is a bad idea, especially because the oil is going to a refinery owned by Saudi Arabia that got $1billion in American taxpayer subsidies) and it supports people who oppose any new pipelines crossing the US border that would put America down a path of oil dependance rather than a clean energy economy.

Our bottom line…

TransCanada is unfit to build. We do not trust them do what it right for our land and water. TransCanada disrespects American landowner property rights and will say and do anything to get support for their risky export pipeline. Bold will continue to oppose this pipeline because it threatens our water and Nebraska farmers and ranchers who are the backbone to our state’s identity and our strong Ag economy.