Health

June 9, 2009

Melinda Pruett-Jones
Executive Director

Chicago Wilderness

Patricia Cassady

Corporate Council Coordinator

Chicago Wilderness

Dear Ms. Pruett-Jones:

Again, sadly British Petroleum Whiting Refinery in northwest Indiana is in
the headlines for polluting our environment with the release of benzene, a
cancer causing chemical. One reaction to this latest violation is from 19
members of Congress calling for the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency to
conduct a comprehensive review of all BP permits (see below). Another

Let's just unpack some of this bullshit and put it out on the table, shall we?

Good!

Here's the point of all this. The Mackenzie Gas Project will devastate the Beaufort Delta, ravage the Colville Hills region of the Sahtu, begin a process of colonial settler population transfers to the Valley where up until this day there is still a majority of the population Dene. This will include a highway, and the "temporary" migration of 1000's of workers near small communities like Wrigley/Pedzheh Kí who currently have populations of about 200 people.

Court rules against Chevron, city of Richmond in environmental review
By Katherine Tam
West County Times
06/05/2009

A Contra Costa Superior Court judge has ruled that the environmental document covering Chevron's bid to replace equipment at its Richmond refinery to refine a wider range of crude is insufficient and vague.

"Project description is unclear and inconsistent as to whether project will or will not enable Chevron to process a heavier crude slate than it is currently processing," Judge Barbara Zuniga wrote.

2nd June 2009
Are Private Corporations Entwined in Olympic Security?
Olympics Watch
by Tim Groves

Canada's plans to involve US Government agencies in security for the 2010 Olympics may lead to US corporations, like Mircosoft and Boeing gaining access to Canadian security information. Top Canadian security officials have traveled to US military bases, security conferences, and congressional hearings in order to keep US officials abreast of planning in Canada.

Alberta explosion sends four to hospital
Vancouver Sun
June 3, 2009

Court orders oilsands to list contents of tailings
Ecojustice lawyers convince judge to overrule environment minister

By Hanneke Brooymans, The Edmonton Journal
May 28, 2009

More information about the toxic content of oilsands tailings ponds that sprawl over 130 square kilometres in northeast Alberta will soon be made public because of a Federal Court decision.

Groups unhappy with Chevron expansion
May 20, 2009
By Wayne Freedman

There may be a refinery upgrade in Richmond, but if environmental groups have it their way, it may never happen. This is frustrating Chevron.

"Well the whole intent of the project is to help modernize the refinery," said Chevron spokesman Dean O'Hair.

But the intent of lawyers was to delay it. There was wrangling in Superior Court after a ruling rejected an environmental impact report from Chevron and the city of Richmond. The court called it "unclear and inconsistent."

Guujaaw, President, Council of the Haida Nation
May 19 2009

To: John Carruthers
President of Enbridge "Northern Gateway Pipeline"

In response to your letter dated April 29th.

You have invited us to attend a meeting in Kitimat on June 18 and 19, "to guide
the design, construction, and operations of the proposed project".

This project that you are proposing would necessitate the movement of tankers
through these waters on a daily basis, which of course, is of concern to us.

We are a people who depend on the health and well-being of the seas around us.

*News Release:*

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*Statoil in trouble with major investors over its tar sands involvement*

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13 May 2009 (Oslo, Norway) — Four major investors are putting pressure on
Statoil to withdraw from the tar sands, Greenpeace has learned.

Danske Bank has expressed its opposition to the contentious project while
Norway’s largest bank, DnBNOR, is holding meetings today to discuss whether
continued involvement in the Alberta tar sands is a sound investment.

In addition, prominent Statoil stakeholders, Folksam, a Swedish insurance

Crude oil leak at Burnaby Mountain tank contained: Kinder Morgan
May 7, 2009 |
CBC News

Some Burnaby residents awoke to the strong smell of oil fumes after about 200,000 litres of crude oil spilled from a storage tank on Burnaby Mountain on Wednesday night.

The leak at the Kinder Morgan tank farm just east of Vancouver was spotted at about 10 p.m. by a contractor, the company said. The oil was captured in a lined containment bay surrounding the tank, and there were no leaks into the surrounding environment, the company said.