One Nation, Under God
One Nation, Under God
Phillips County Commissioner Richard Dunbar recently traveled to Washington D.C. with other Montana commissioners to talk about the Keystone XL Pipeline. Pictured are, l to r, Carl Seilstad of Fergus County, Commissioner Dunbar, Richard Westerdale, U.S. State Department's Bureau of Energy Resources, John Ostlund of Yellowstone County and Todd Devlin of Prairie County.
Last Friday, President Donald Trump announced that his administration had approved the Keystone XL pipeline which starts in Alberta, Canada - and runs through five Montana counties including about 24 miles into the northeast corner of Phillips County - and ends in Steele City, Neb.
"TransCanada will finally be able to complete this long overdue project with efficiency and speed," President Trump said during a Friday press conference. "We're working out the final details as we speak. It's going to be an incredible pipeline, greatest technology known to man or woman. And frankly, we're very proud of it."
In a press release, Montana State Senator Mike Lang and members of the Montana legislature said they were pleased with the U.S. Department of State issuance of a Presidential Permit for the Keystone XL pipeline project. The Permit comes just a day after the Montana legislature voted overwhelmingly in favor of a resolution supporting the project, according to the release.
"This project will use American workers and benefit American communities," said Senator Lang "The project will support thousands of well-paying construction jobs, generate millions in tax revenues for our state and give a needed boost to our economy."
Phillips County Commissioner Richard Dunbar concurred.
"It's the best thing to happen in the last eight years," Commissioner Dunbar said. "It will be a good project to get going."
Commissioner Dunbar said that he and several other county commissioners from Montana had been meeting with Richard Westerdale, a senior official from the U.S. State Department's Bureau of Energy Resources over the last several years and last Friday, it was Westerdale who called with the news on the pipeline.
"He called this morning to let me know," Commissioner Dunbar said.
Though several years from beginning of construction, Commissioner Dunbar said once the pipeline is functional and running through Phillips County it will be the area's largest taxpayer.
"They will be the number one taxpayer," he said. "Right now, Northern Border is our number one taxpayer."
The Northern Border gas pipeline currently runs through Phillips County and brings gas from Canada through North Dakota, South Dakota, Minnesota and Iowa and into the Chicago area.
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