Representative Lee Terry (R-NE-2) may be a fan of the “Keystone rodeo,” but we know that only a clown could think that Nebraska can afford the risky tarsands pipeline that, if approved, could cross some our state’s most sensitive lands and our main water source, the Ogallala Aquifer.

Representative Terry and his Big Oil buddies are doing the bidding of TransCanada without caring a lick about the best interests of Nebraska landowners and citizens.

The House Energy and Commerce Committee voted to advance Rep. Lee Terry’s bill that would require Federal Energy Regulator Commission (FERC) to approve the (already denied) Keystone XL pipeline in 30 days. In short, it’s awful. We never thought we would say this, but we actually miss the days when Lee Terry did nothing on Capitol Hill, except of course naming a post office and drinking with lobbyists.

Even FERC, the agency that Terry tosses the pipeline decision to instead of the president, hates the bill. They testified that they have no experience with oil pipelines, let alone tar sands pipelines. Additionally, the bill doesn’t give them any real authority and leaves them no time to build a defensible decision (read: we won’t be able to defend this when people sue us).

In yesterday's House markup meeting on Lee Terry's pipeline bill, we noticed that Rep. Terry liked to mention how the NRDC and Sierra Club asked President Obama to stop Keystone XL. But Terry nevers mentions that thousands of Nebraskans and our own Governor Heineman also asked the President to deny the permit.

Terry's selective memory times well with the unveiling of our new website HeinemanAgreesWithObama.com. We hope it serves as a healthy reminder that the Governor and the President have agreed about the risks Keystone XL poses to our land and the Ogallala Aquifer.

Sen. Johanns' and Rep. Terry's support for Congressional bills that would force approval of the (already denied) Keystone XL pipeline not only goes against Nebraskans' concerns about our land and water, but it is also a fruitless endeavor akin to chasing Moby Dick.

President Obama denied TransCanada's permit request to build the Keystone XL pipeline which means TransCanada must resubmit an application to the State Department. If TransCanada submits a new application, the review process starts from the beginning. Specifically in Nebraska, this means that TransCanada must--according to law passed during the Pipeline Special Session--submit a route application to the Public Service Commission. The denial of the pipeline however has not stopped the GOP's pursuit of political theater in the name of “jobs.” 

Editor's note: this piece originally appeared in the National Wildlife Federation's blog and was written by Peter LaFontaine, the NWF Energy Polic Advocate.

The Keystone XL pipeline has achieved the improbable: making Congress look even more dysfunctional than usual. Big Oil’s friends on Capitol Hill, eager to start the flow of dirty tar sands oil to the Gulf coast, have already forced President Obama to make a “yes or no” decision on KXL by late February. But now, having realized that Obama will probably say no to this disaster-in-waiting, they’re trying to rig the system and make the call themselves. From Reuters: