Sen. Mike Johanns is urging the Department of State to expand its environmental analysis of the Keystone XL pipeline route.

On Monday, Johanns said he has sent a  letter to Secretary of State Hillary Clinton noting a Supplemental Environmental Impact Statement is needed to examine alternative entry points into the United States. 

Johanns is asking the State Department to formally consider a route parallel to the existing Keystone pipeline and to examine the environmental implications of routing the pipeline through the Sandhills and Ogallala Aquifer.

 ”I, along with many Nebraskans, remain concerned that the health of the Ogallala Aquifer may be unnecessarily put at risk by the current route proposed for the Keystone XL pipeline,” said Johanns in the letter. “Conducting a Supplemental Environmental Impact Statement will increase the transparency of the environmental review process by providing a formal avenue to assess and respond to remaining concerns.” 

A copy of the letter to Sec. Clinton can be found here.

 On April 9, the State Department released its Draft Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) on the Keystone XL pipeline.