In today's economy, job creation surpassed only. But for Nebraskans, at least one thing a higher ranking – and protecting water resources are very precious to them. They know, as we all should be, that clean water is essential for economic vitality enough now and for generations to come.
As originally proposed, 1,700-mile pipeline would have crossed the Nebraska's unique and valuable, rare native Sandhills prairie wetland ecosystems, lakes and hills covered in grass which covers about a quarter of the country.
Sandhills are also critical to Ogallala aquifer recharge zones, underground water reserve is an area that supplies drinking water to several million people in the Great Plains as well as 30 per cent of all land used for irrigation.