"Nebraska governor Dave Heineman signed into law on Tuesday bills to reroute the Keystone XL pipeline away from the ecologically sensitive Sandhills region."

"One bill puts into law a compromise agreed with Keystone pipeline builder TransCanada to move the route away from the Sandhills and the Ogallala aquifer. The second bill approves state funding for an environmental study for a new pipeline route not to exceed $2 million.

By law, the governor now has the final say in state government on the new route. The U.S. Secretary of State has the final say nationally."

Michael Avok reports for Reuters November 23, 2011. [2]