AUDRAIN COUNTY -- Missouri Gov. Jay Nixon toured an Audrain County natural gas pipeline late Wednesday afternoon.

A compressor station between Mexico and Rush Hill is the nexus of the Rockies Express Pipeline project, or REX Pipeline project.

The facility is the centerpiece of 1,700 mile pipeline system delivering natural gas between Colorado and Ohio.

Nixon says the project boosts Missouri’s economy while it lowers our dependence on foreign sources of energy.

“The ability to take gas off and use it helps our energy independence and will guarantee that a source of gas that had yet been unable to be moved across the country can be moved across in about 1,300 pounds per square inch," Nixon said. "This is a dramatic step forward for America. I’m glad that Audrain County and Mexico, Missouri is here at the lynch pin at the center of that.”

REX Pipeline President Doug Walker said, “We’ve seen as we put this project in service in stages, every stage we’ve put into service we do see downward pressure on natural gas prices.  That’s a benefit to all consumers in the area.”

Construction of the compressor station in Audrain County and the pipeline across Missouri employed several hundred workers in good paying jobs.