Alberta-based TransCanada has made a pair of big announcements related to the much-debated Keystone XL Pipeline.

The company says it has filed a proposal to build the southern leg of XL between Cushing, Oklahoma and refineries on the Gulf Coast.

The project won’t need government approval, only a regulatory stamp because it won’t cross international borders.

Transcanada also announced it will re-file its application to build the northern portion of the pipeline to transport crude from the oilsands to the Gulf Coast.

Premier Alison Redford is welcoming the news from Transcanada calling the XL Pipeline a “game-changing” piece of infrastructure.

She’s also happy Washington sees the merits of the project.

“I was pleased to see the White House saying this peice of infrastructure does matter in terms of moving resourses to the Gulf Coast for refining,” says Reford.

The premier says work still needs to be done to get the entire project completed.

Travis Davies, with the Canadian Association of Petroleum Producers is also happy the southern leg is going ahead, but points out Alberta producers will benefit far more from the northern leg.

“It’s our most critical interests to get our products down to their markets,” says Davies.

He says the southern leg going ahead proves the need for more oil in the Gulf area, which bodes well for Alberta producers.