(Cushing, Okla.) TransCanada representatives Virgil Pfennig, West River Area Manager, Great Plains Region and Jon Case, Cushing tech, visited the Cushing Fire Department Wednesday to present a check in the amount of $25,000 to support the department’s work to construct an industrial response trailer that will house the necessary tools, fittings, nozzles and equipment needed at emergency scenes – particularly those involving the oil industry.
Jim Prescott, employee of Prescott Group LLC, an independent contractor to TransCanada, said Senator Jim Halligan and Rep. Lee Denney were very instrumental in getting TransCanada to make the contribution to the Cushing Fire Department.
“Sen. Hallligan suggested the idea and encouraged the approval of the contribution,” Prescott said. “He would have been here today, but he had to be out of town. It is good to have Rep. Denney here.”
Prescott said it is important to TransCanada (Keystone Project) to establish good relationships with public safety departments, educators and those involved in public health and the environment in the communities affected by the project. It is noted that community relations have been and continue to be part of Keystone’s tradition. Since 2006, it has worked with interested parties in nine states to engage local communities along the Keystone pipeline route. Keystone said they have been able to “engage and maintain good relations with over 5,000 landowners and thousands of residents affected by the project through community meetings and outreach endeavors.”
Cushing Chamber Director Brent Thompson had this to say about TransCanada: “The Cushing Chamber wants to thank TransCanada Keystone for their commitment to the City of Cushing Fire Department. The gift of $25,000 from one of the newest members of not only the Chamber of Commerce but one of the newest members of our business community shows a commitment to not only the safety needs of their business but also to the Cushing energy industry as well as the community as a whole.
We are very so very fortunate to have them in Cushing and we appreciate their involvement.”
Cushing Fire Chief Brent Kerr thanked TransCanada saying, “We really appreciate TransCanada for making such a generous donation.”
Click link to see video taken at check presentation: www.1600kush.com/story.php?id=4717§ion=14
Future possibilities: (information provided by TransCanada)
The next phase for Keystone Pipeline system is the proposed U.S. Gulf Coast Expansion (Keystone XL) project. TransCanada is poised to put 20,000 Americans to work to construct the pipeline – pipe fitters, welders, mechanics, electricians, heavy equipment operators, the list goes on. Local businesses along the pipeline route will benefit from the 118,000 spin-off jobs Keystone XL will create through increased business for local restaurants, hotels and suppliers.
More than $5 billion in property taxes that TransCanada will pay over the lifetime of the project will allow counties in states along the pipeline route to invest in new schools, roads, and hospitals. In total, the Keystone XL project is expected to create $20 billion of economic benefits to the U.S. during construction.
In Oklahoma, an independent report prepared by The Perryman Group concluded that gains in business activity stemming from Keystone investment of $848 million in the state during construction of both phases of the pipeline would generate an estimated $1.2 billion in total expenditures, $1.1 billion in economic output (gross product) and 14,440 person-years of employment.
The Perryman Group estimated that TransCanada’s investment in Oklahoma would generate $24.3 million in tax receipts for state and local government ($21.3 million to state government, $4 million to local government).
Furthermore, the Perryman report concluded that with an anticipated lifespan of 100 years, Keystone would pay more than $668 million in property taxes to local governments, based on a present discounted value basis.
About TransCanada:
With more than 60 years experience, TransCanada is a leader in the responsible development and reliable operation of North American energy infrastructure including natural gas and oil pipelines, power generation and gas storage facilities. TransCanada’s network of wholly owned natural gas pipelines extends more than 35,500 miles, tapping into virtually all major gas supply basins in North America. TransCanada is one of the continent’s largest providers of gas storage and related services with approximately 380 billion cubic feet of storage capacity. A growing independent power producer, TransCanada owns, or has interests in, over 10,800 megawatts of power generation in Canada and the United States. TransCanada is developing one of the North America’s largest oil delivery systems. TransCanada’s common shares trade on the Toronto and New York stock exchanges under the symbol TRP. For more information visit www.transcanada.com.
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