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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: Thursday, June 14, 2007                               
CONTACT: Leah Mohr, South Dakota Public Utilities Commission, (605) 773-3201

PUC announces format for TransCanada Keystone Pipeline hearings

PIERRE, S.D. – The South Dakota Public Utilities Commission made final preparations for public input hearings in Yankton, Alexandria, Clark and Britton to be held June 25-27 regarding the siting permit application for the South Dakota portion of a crude oil pipeline proposed by TransCanada Keystone Pipeline LP.

PUC Commissioners Dusty Johnson, Gary Hanson and Steve Kolbeck have designated the first 45 minutes of each hearing for a presentation by TransCanada Keystone Pipeline representatives. Following that, interested individuals and organizations will be given an opportunity make public comment, those with brief statements of less than five minutes allowed to speak first. Attendees are requested to not read published documents, such as reports or newspaper articles, as part of their verbal comments but rather submit those items to the commission to become part of the record for this docket.

To further ensure all interested parties have a chance to offer input to the commissioners, individuals are asked to state their comments at only one of the four public hearings.

Hearings will be held:

Monday, June 25

11 a.m.            Yankton, S.D., at the Yankton City Commission Chambers, 416 Walnut St. Attendees are welcome to bring a brown-bag lunch since the event may carry over into the noon hour.

7 p.m.              Alexandria, S.D., at Joe's Café,
                         1150 Spruce St.

Tuesday, June 26

7 p.m.              Clark, S.D., at the Clark Community Center,
                         120 N. Commercial St.

Wednesday, June 27

 Noon               Britton, S.D., at the Marshall County Community Building/Britton Senior Nutrition Center, 909 S. Main Ave. Lunch is available, for a fee. Call (605) 448-2343 by June 26 for reservations. Serving begins at 11:30 a.m. Attendees are welcome to bring a brown-bag lunch if they prefer. 

The Keystone project is proposed to transport crude oil starting in Alberta, Canada, and ending in Illinois. The proposed pipeline in South Dakota has an estimated length of 220 miles to cross the counties of Marshall, Day, Clark, Beadle, Kingsbury, Miner, Hanson, McCook, Hutchinson and Yankton. The project also includes four pump stations to be located in Day, Beadle, Miner and Hutchinson counties. 

Visit the PUC Web site, www.puc.sd.gov, for more information on the Keystone application. Select "Commission Actions," then "Commission Dockets" and "2007 Hydrocarbon Pipeline." Click on the docket titled HP07-001 to view the application and other documents. 

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MEDIA NOTE: Several news organizations have reported an incorrect hearing schedule in recent weeks. Please provide assistance to the public by comparing your previously-published and broadcast stories to this schedule and running this complete, correct schedule as necessary. Thank you