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RALSTON — Members of the general public looking to weigh in on the Keystone XL pipeline and its route through Nebraska got their last in-person chance Wednesday.

About 185 people crowded a ballroom at Ralston Arena for a public hearing on the project, and 99 spoke during seven hours of testimony.

Opponents of the proposed route outnumbered supporters more than 2-to-1.

Most were commenting for the first time since the five-member Public Service Commission, which is tasked with reviewing the pipeline route through Nebraska, launched its series of four public hearings in May.

And while much of the testimony from both sides centered on the pipeline's safety — including the risk and potential impact of spills and leaks — state law forbids commissioners from taking those issues into consideration as they determine whether the route is in the public interest.

"That's a feat of legislative wizardry for which the unicameral (Legislature) should not be congratulated," said Don Bass, an Omaha geologist and environmental consultant who opposes the pipeline.