SD Gov Calls Any Pipeline Legislation Premature

PIERRE, SD - South Dakota Gov. Dennis Daugaard says legislation next year to ensure the state is protected from harm by a proposed oil pipeline from Canada to the U.S. Gulf Coast would be premature.

Federal regulators are extending their review of the Keystone XL Pipeline by more than a year to consider other route options, and TransCanada this week said it will make changes in the route to avoid environmentally sensitive areas in Nebraska.

Daugaard supports the pipeline along with ensuring protections for South Dakota. But he says specific legislation during the 2012 session would be premature.

State Rep. Don Kopp unsuccessfully pushed legislation last session to require a $30 million cleanup bond from TransCanada in case of environmental damage. He says he'll likely introduce it again.