In Nebraska, grass is the economy

Pamela Scott, Las Vegas

Thursday, Dec. 8, 2011 | 2:01 a.m.

In his recent letter about the Keystone XL pipeline, “Pipeline tied to our security, success,” Favil West says he does not think we should listen to “people who consider blades of grass equal to our economy.”

Those “blades of grass” are the economy in Nebraska and eight surrounding states. They depend on the Ogallala Aquifer to grow those “blades of grass” that feed the cattle of “the Beef State” on ranches that have employees.

Cattle are shipped to the local feed lots (more employees) using truck lines and railroads that have employees. They are shipped again to the processing plants with — guess what? — employees!

That meat then goes all over the United States into grocery stores and restaurants, all of which have employees. The same can be said of the corn and wheat the aquifer irrigates.

Those “blades of grass” are the business of Nebraska, whose voters can be counted on to vote red in the next presidential election, but who feel as strongly about protecting their economy as any other state in the union.

And yes, those ranchers and farmers served in World War I, World War II, Korea, Vietnam, and Desert Storm, and their sons and daughters are in Iraq and Afghanistan. They support the pipeline but only in a route that does not endanger their economy. Sound familiar? Like Yucca Mountain?