On May 4, 2012, the Department of State received a new application from TransCanada Corp. for a proposed pipeline that would run from the Canadian border to connect to an existing pipeline in Steele City, Nebraska. The new application includes proposed new routes through the state of Nebraska. The Department is committed to conducting a rigorous, transparent and thorough review.

The Department’s responsibility, under Executive Order 13337, is to determine if granting a permit for the proposed pipeline is in the national interest. We will consider this new application on its merits. Consistent with the Executive Order, this involves consideration of many factors, including energy security, health, environmental, cultural, economic, and foreign policy concerns.

We will begin by selecting an independent third-party contractor to assist the Department, including reviewing the existing Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) from the previous Keystone XL pipeline review process, as well as identifying and assisting with new analysis.

We will cooperate with the state of Nebraska, as well as other relevant State and Federal agencies, in the review of the application.

Nebraska has said that their review of the new proposed route will take six to nine months. Last November when we announced consideration of an alternate route through Nebraska, our best estimate on timing was that we would complete the review process in the first quarter of 2013.

We will conduct our review efficiently, using existing analysis as appropriate.

In 2008, TransCanada Keystone Pipeline, LP (Keystone) filed an application for an earlier version of the Keystone XL pipeline. Documents relating to that application, including the Final Environmental Impact Statement, can be found here.