Missouri’s Governor used a forum sponsored by the American Petroleum Institute to promote a pipeline planned to traverse the state to carry Canadian crude oil.
The Kansas City program fit a larger industry strategy of holding dozens of meetings in communities that are or will be affected by pipelines.
API’s President Jack Gerard called it ‘education,’ promoting domestic oil and natural gas as well as the Keystone Pipeline from Canada.
Canadian Ambassador to the U.S. Gary Doer was part of the forum.
Missouri Governor Jay Nixon was at the Kansas City meeting, praising the line that would move Canadian oil from Illinois, through Missouri to Oklahoma and on to Gulf of Mexico refineries.
In the Governor’s words, “I think it can be transformative for North America. It could certainly be a great construction project for us here.”
Nixon spoke of the pipeline creating 11 hundred Missouri jobs.
Governor Nixon’s role was noted by API’s Gerard-- “the Governor’s leadership is key to be able to get the permits they need to advance the pipeline.”
A map of the line shows it entering far Northeast Missouri, passing through Cass County before swinging southward.
The Governor said surveying work is underway with construction expected to start in the Fall.
Eleven Missouri counties would carry the 30 inch oil transport line. It would come closest to Kansas City in Lafayette, Cass and Johnson Counties in Missouri.
Enbridge Corporation plans to build the 650 mile pipeline.
The company is calling it the Flanagan South Pipeline. In some circles it is known as the Spearhead System.