OK, let me boil it down.
Why not build the pipeline from Canada to TX through oil friendly states instead of just defaulting to China?
Nebraska is not the culprit here. The state already has over 20,000 miles of pipelines. It's the federal government that's the problem.
Moreover, the XL pipeline is Phase 4 of a 4-phase project. The XL line is being built to a junction with two other Keystone pipelines at Steele City, NE. From there, the oil will move to the Wood River, IL refinery complex (across the river from St. Louis) over a line that was completed a year ago. And it will also move south to Cushing, OK -- the major pipeline junction point in the USA -- from whence it can be sent on to the Texas Gulf Coast...or diverted just about anywhere else in the country.
In other words, Keystone doesn't have the option of re-routing the whole thing. They've already built a system to accept the oil -- and to use it, they've got to get to Steele City, NE.
TransCanada worked on this route for years. All the approvals up to this level have been made. They have purchased most of the land. Pipe is actually in place in warehouses along the route, ready to go. This is truly a "shovel ready" project, except no government money is involved. It would take two years to build the pipeline.
It will now be delayed at least a year, and several years if they have to re-route it. The oil has to flow. It is apparent that it is going to flow west to Asia, not south to the US.
Question is — the argument says if we don’t approve the pipeline the oil will go to China. How can we be sure it wont cross our country and end up in foreign ports anyway, like the timber from the forests of the northwest — cut down and shipped out. In some cases we bought back. A lot of money exchanging hands in those deals.