Argus Leader - S.D. Lawmakers Optimistic on Keystone as Veto Looms

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By Christopher Doering

South Dakota's Washington delegation is confident the Keystone XL pipeline is moving forward despite President Barack Obama's promise to veto a congressional measure to allow construction of the project.

The Senate Thursday authorized the pipeline in a 62-36 vote, with both South Dakota senators voting in favor of the bill. The passage exceeded the 60-vote threshold needed for approval, but fell short of the 67 votes to override a presidential veto. The House cleared a version of the bill this month. Now, the two bills must be reconciled before the legislation goes to the president, who has said he will reject it because the project is under review by the State Department - which must sign off on the pipeline because it crosses an international border.

"It will go to the president's desk, where we assume he will veto it, but that's not the end of it," Sen. Mike Rounds, R-S.D., told reporters before the vote. "At that point, that becomes a bill that we can attach to other measures that the president may very well be interested in seeing passed."

The pipeline would transport oil from Alberta, Canada, to Steele City, Neb., where it would connect to existing pipeline to Gulf Coast refineries.

Sen. John Thune and Rep. Kristi Noem, both Republicans, said Obama has run out of excuses to delay the pipeline. "This is the kind of common-sense legislating the American people hired America's new Congress to do," Thune said.

Opponents of the project complain it would contribute to global warming and say all but a few jobs would be temporary, while the oil is destined for overseas. Supporters tout the jobs and other benefits the project would create, including up to 4,000 jobs and $20 million in property taxes to help South Dakota, according to TransCanada Corp., which has proposed building the pipeline.

"Further delaying Keystone XL would deprive South Dakota of good jobs, millions of dollars in revenue for cash-strapped counties, and relief for the roads and rails that are currently crowded with oil transit," said Noem. "His own administration has released more than 20,000 pages of reviews showing Keystone is in the best interest of our national economy.

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