The state of Nebraska announced today it has delineated the Sandhills of Nebraska that a Canadian oil pipeline company must avoid in a new route for its controversial Keystone XL pipeline.

The Nebraska Department of Environmental Quality released a map showing the area to be avoided, based on “an analysis of a variety of existing data.” The data will be given to TransCanada today for their reference as the company develops a new route for the Nebraska portion of pipeline which will carry oil from Alberta, Canada to the Gulf Coast refineries — if President Obama approves a federal permit.

In November, after protests culminated in a special legislative session and threatened to stall the federal permit, Nebraska lawmakers reached a deal with TransCanada to reroute the pipeline around the Sandhills. DEQ then set about defining the Sandhills map. NDEQ Director Mike Linder said this was an important step in the process outlined by legislation passed in November.

“Obviously, the applicant cannot propose the route without knowing the area to be avoided,” Linder said. “NDEQ has been reviewing available information and has selected a map of ecoregions which was finalized in 2001 as best depicting the Sandhills region.”

This map, titled “Ecoregions of Nebraska and Kansas” was a multi-year project involving numerous state and federal agencies, including: the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, NDEQ, the U.S. Geological Survey, Nebraska Game and Parks Commission, and the U.S. Forest Service.

A comprehensive map that delineates a variety of ecoregions in both Nebraska and Kansas can be found onEPA’s web site.

Jane Kleeb of Bold Nebraska, which has opposed the pipeline and in particular through the Sandhills, said in response today, “Bold Nebraska trusts NDEQ to conduct a thorough review of the proposed new route and look out for our state’s precious resources. We trust TransCanada to do what’s best for their bottom line, not what’s best for Nebraska. That is why we’ll continue to ask citizens and landowners to participate in the review process.”

When TransCanada submits alternative route information, NDEQ will move forward in the development of a Supplemental Environmental Impact Statement, which will consider a variety of potential environmental impacts.

NDEQ will provide opportunities for public participation during the process. Early in the process, the agency will conduct a series of information sessions to discuss what is being proposed and solicit public input. Later, when a draft Supplemental Environmental Impact Statement is developed, a formal public comment period will be held.

Information will continue to be updated on the agency web site and select “NDEQ’s Role in Pipeline Review” or follow the direct URL to: www.deq.state.ne.us/gen.nsf/Pages/Pipeline.

Questions and comments can be sent to a new NDEQ e-mail address. An NDEQ pipeline telephone comment line has also been established at 1 (800) 295-8912.