Governor Fallin Applauds TransCanada Decision to Begin Construction of Southern Portion of Keystone Pipeline

OKLAHOMA CITY – Oklahoma Governor Mary Fallin today applauded TransCanada’s decision to proceed with the construction of an oil pipeline from Cushing, Oklahoma to the U.S. Gulf Coast.

The pipeline represents the southern leg of the Keystone XL Pipeline project that would transport oil from Canada and various U.S. markets to the Gulf Coast. “Connecting Cushing to oil markets in the Gulf Coast will provide both an immediate economic jolt to the state of Oklahoma as well as a long term boost to our energy sector,” Fallin said. “Construction of the pipeline alone will create 1,200 jobs, while increasing access to the important markets along the coast will help energy producers for many years to come. This is an important, positive step forward for Oklahoma, and my thanks go out to TransCanada for its leadership on this issue.”

TransCanada also announced today that it plans to file a Presidential Permit application (cross border permit) in the near future for the Keystone XL Project from the U.S./Canada border in Montana to Steele City, Nebraska. Fallin once again called on President Obama to quickly approve the project.

“The Keystone XL pipeline is exactly the kind of shovel-ready project that President Obama should be supporting,” Fallin said. “If the project is approved in its entirety, we can expect up to 20,000 construction jobs and as many as 250,000 total jobs to be created. Furthermore, the substantial upgrade to our energy infrastructure would help bolster the production of North American energy and wean the United States off its dependence on hostile oil regimes overseas. It’s a win-win project that is important to both our national security and our economic security.”