Fischer expresses support for Keystone Pipeline

State Sen. Deb Fischer — a Republican contender for the U.S. Senate — expressed support for TransCanada’s controversial oil pipeline during a televised meeting with local officials in North Platte.

Fischer said during the meeting that she would tell people concerned about the pipeline running through the sandhills, “We build roads in the sandhills… they recover. It’s how you manage it.”

A campaign spokesman told me today Fischer supports building the Keystone XL pipeline, but hasn’t committed to the currently proposed route that goes over the Ogallala Aquifer.

Later today, Sen. Fischer released the following statement on the pipeline:

As I have stated consistently over the past three years, I share many of the concerns expressed by Nebraskans across the state regarding the proposed Keystone XL pipeline. For that reason I have worked with constituents and landowners to find answers to their questions.

At this point I have received Senator Dubas’s proposed legislation and am thoroughly reviewing that bill. I have received additional communication from Senator Dubas that she is also researching questions about her proposed bill.

Today, TransCanada sent a letter to Speaker Mike Flood that offers additional safety measures for the currently proposed route. I will thoroughly review that proposal before making further comment.