PUC Ruling on Keystone Pipeline Tomorrow

I just heard on SDPB (and found written info on KELO) that the Public Utilities Commission will decide tomorrow (Tuesday, March 11) whether to "Grant, Deny, or Grant with Conditions" the permit for TransCanada to build the Keystone pipeline across eastern South Dakota. The PUC homepage indicates you'll be able to listen live to the meeting, which starts at 9:30 a.m. at the State Capitol, Room 412.

We've already seen our Legislature fail to pass any reasonable regulations to hold TransCanada accountable and protect South Dakota landowners. Governor Rounds has all but declared that landowners aren't his concern and Big Oil can count on Pierre to roll out the red carpet. The PUC is the last elected body standing between landowners and the corporate lawyers who plan to steal their land. I'm sure Commissioners Johnson, Kolbeck, and Hanson have been giving all the materials from their December pipeline hearings a good hard read, but it might not hurt to give them an e-mail or a call today (605-773-3201 or 800-332-1782) and remind them that South Dakota landowners should get a little consideration above the profits of a foreign oil company.

Update 2008.03.11: The PUC approves the pipeline... with 57 conditions. See my full post here.