(Washington Post) The Nebraska supreme court let stand a statute clearing the way for the Keystone XL pipeline construction in the state, removing an obstacle that President Obama has cited as one reason for delaying any decision on the controversial oil pipeline.
The state high court ruled 4-3 in favor of landowners opposing the pipeline, but that margin fell short of what was needed to block a state statute allowing pipeline construction. Under Nebraska law, five judges are needed to declare a statute unconstitutional and therefore, the court said, the measure passed in 2012 “must stand by default.”
Proponents of the pipeline hailed the court’s decision Friday, saying it should speed approval of the project.
