Oil Sands Truth: Shut Down the Tar Sands

Health

The Health implications in terms of these projects are vast, and not just the deadly explosions and industrial accidents that happen in production-—from reported increases in rare forms of cancer downstream from tar sands production to the pollution of fresh water leading to poisoned diets (fish, moose and plant toxicity)—-direct links are hard to establish but impossible to either rule out or ignore, especially where tarsand operations constitute overwhelmingly the greatest change to the environment in most corners of the continent effected directly by tarsand infrastructure.

warning: Creating default object from empty value in /var/www/drupal-6.28/modules/taxonomy/taxonomy.pages.inc on line 33.

Alberta delays upgrader plans

Alberta delays oil sands upgrader plans

Nathan VanderKlippe

Globe and Mail
Oct. 20, 2009

EPA Backs Opponents of BP’s Whiting Refinery Expansion Plan

EPA Backs Opponents of BP’s Whiting Refinery Expansion Plan
By Tina Seeley and Paul Burkhardt

Oct. 19 (Bloomberg) -- The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency said it has granted part of a petition by environmental groups objecting to BP Plc’s expansion of its Whiting refinery in Indiana.

The EPA said in a statement today that Indiana regulators must re-evaluate the emissions calculations for BP’s plan to expand the facility to refine high-sulfur Canadian crude oil.

Suncor Submits Fort Hills Tar Sands Tailings Plans

This project was originally led by Petro Canada, the official energy supplier to the 2010 Olympic Games, until the entire company was recently bought up by Suncor Energy.

Sadly, industry representatives continue to show their wonderful even handed nature and behaviour towards anyone and anything that may (or, may not) be the slightest bit deviant from their basic line of total production everywhere, at all times, and intimidate and harass those who defy it. As such, the article below was removed from this site after a series of bizarre threats for posting the article.

Greenpeace lawyer slams Alberta Premier Stelmach

Greenpeace lawyer slams Alberta Premier Stelmach
Slave River Journal, October 14, 2009

The lawyer defending Greenpeace’s oilsands activists says Alberta Premier Ed Stelmach is using his political position to try to influence the legal system and prevent a fair trial.
Brian Beresh, a well-known Albertan defense lawyer, has taken on the case of 16 activists arrested during a protest at Shell’s Scotford upgrader on October 3.

More Fear Mongering in the Tar Sands, Courtesy of G & M.

Protests in oil sands raise anxieties

Oil companies say activists are most at risk, but one security specialist warns the oil patch is a sitting duck for terrorists

NATHAN VANDERKLIPPE

CALGARY — From Monday's Globe and Mail
Published on Monday, Oct. 12, 2009

The parade of Greenpeace protesters marching through the heart of Alberta's oil sands in recent weeks has provided an embarrassing glimpse at the state of the industry's security, says a former special forces operative who has helped safeguard Canada's nuclear plants.

Northern Alberta economy braces for next boom

Northern Alberta economy braces for next boom
By Archie McLean, Canwest News Service
October 3, 2009

The economic slowdown has been good for Fort McMurray. But with things picking up again in the oilsands, many wonder if they’re prepared to weather the next boom.

FORT MCMURRAY, Alta. — In recent years, simply treating employees well wasn't enough to keep them serving customers in Fort McMurray.

Suncor takes Greenpeace to court

Here's the latest - Suncor is suing Greenpeace for disrupting its
operations last week.

(BTW - it is absolutely outrageous that the reporter (or his editor)
is linking the tar sands actions to the Encana gas pipeline bombings
in this article, with the inference being GP is somehow connected to
the bombings.)

Suncor takes Greenpeace to court - $1.5M lawsuit comes after protest at mine

By Shaun Polczer, Calgary HeraldOctober 9, 2009 9:08 PM

CALGARY - Environmental protesters say they will continue to target

'H2Oil' Tears up the Tar Sands

Documentary focusing on Fort Chipewyan becomes a powerful tool for climate change activists.

By Dawn Paley, October 8, 2009, TheTyee.ca

When Lionel Lepine's plane landed in London, England in August after a long flight from northern Alberta, his initial reaction was culture shock. It was Lepine's first time flying overseas. The occasion was the Climate Camp for Action, an event now in its third year, which brings together hundreds of grassroots activists who are willing to take direct action in the fight against climate change.

Behold! Canada's most disgusting export

Behold! Canada's most disgusting export
Nothing like Alberta's's revolting oilsands to destroy your optimism
By Mark Morford, SF Gate Columnist
Wednesday, October 7, 2009

Are you having one of those days? One of those moments where you feel like you've endured a simply relentless onslaught of negative news and economic hardship coupled to endless rounds of cretinous politicians -- all of whom enjoy fully paid health care on your tab -- debating whether or not you'll be able to afford to see a doctor ever again, all to the point where you say, you know what? I need just one more.

Enbridge to raise cost estimate on Pacific pipeline [Gateway]

Enbridge to raise cost estimate on Pacific pipeline
Tue Oct 6, 2009

CALGARY, Alberta, Oct 6 (Reuters) - Enbridge Inc (ENB.TO) expects to raise the cost estimate for the Northern Gateway pipeline, last pegged at around C$4 billion ($3.77 billion), when it seeks approvals for the oil sands export line later this year, it said on Tuesday.