Climate Change / Emissions

If people are to coordinate a possible fight back against the tar sands, there needs to be voices from all sectors. This is not an Albertan fight alone, and pipelines will also be running over the landowners of farms through Saskatchewan, Manitoba and if Enbridge has their way, British Columbia.

Oil Shale, burning much like coal after a more -involved extraction process than "regular" tar sands, is perhaps the energy equivalent of a scoundrels refuge. If we see the energy economy go to this form of extraction without coming up with a plan for a non-oil existence, then we may as well give up on most everything save the immediate future, for it will be the final surrender to climate change and the destruction of the liveable biosphere, for the purpose of fuelling a riding lawn mower...

--M

Hatch urges use of Utah's tar sands and oil shale

Companies, not governments, control energy future: analyst

By RENATO GANDIA
Today staff
Friday April 13, 2007
http://www.fortmcmurraytoday.com/Local%20News/300358.html

The American addiction to oil is fuelling the sizzling oilsands development in Fort McMurray, said a policy analyst from the United States slated to come here Monday.

This story, a small community of desperately poor people who at first will welcome tar sand extraction as a possible panacea against the ravages of historical colonialism and modern poverty, is not a new one. The location is, however, and it signifies a new escalation in tarsand production. It is interesting noting their concerns about capacity in pipes that already exist in Alberta. The possibility of building the infrastructure in Saskatchewan will add another massive dimension to what is already the largest such project in the history of the Earth.

Wildcat growth in oil patch begins to trouble Albertans
Review finds many want the pace slowed
http://www.theglobeandmail.com/servlet/story/LAC.20070411.RALBERTANS11/T...
DAVID EBNER

CALGARY -- The oil sands boom that's brought billions of dollars to Alberta has also brought anxiety to a significant number of citizens, some of whom are questioning the rapid pace of development as the provincial government nears the end of a long oil sands review.

At the risk of antagonizing a staff reporter at the Vancouver Sun, it is worth noting that this same Don Cayo has written hit pieces against the brave youth and elders from the Tahltan communities who have joined up to resist the massive expansion into their territories of all forms of industrial development, from oil and gas (in particular coal bed methane) to gold and coal mining and even a massive hydro-electric dam.

The blunt goals of the tar sand industry are often avoided blunt talk by Albertan media, afraid of a general disgust with the reasons behind all the North American energy interests disastrous social, environmental and energy policies that are making astronomical profits on their way to building the single largest complex of industrialism to try and stave off peak oil and move away from Middle Eastern imports. Fortunately, American media knows far less of those constraints.

Enbridge pushing plan to pipe oil to Texas

DAVID EBNER
Posted AT 6:24 PM EDT ON 04/04/07
CALGARY
http://www.theglobeandmail.com/servlet/story/RTGAM.20070404.wenbridge040...

Enbridge Inc. is pushing ahead with a plan to move Canadian oil to Texas, preparing to present a detailed plan to potential customers by the end of June.

“Getting oil to the Gulf Coast is very important for Canadian producers,” Patrick Daniel, chief executive officer of Enbridge, said in an interview Wednesday.

Former Premier Ralph Klein warns of health backlash

By RENATO GANDIA
Today staff
Thursday April 05, 2007
http://www.fortmcmurraytoday.com/Local%20News/298912.html

VANCOUVER -- Former Alberta Premier Ralph Klein is quick to admit he didn’t have a plan to fix the blistering effects of the oilsands boom on the strained infrastructure of Fort McMurray and other parts of Alberta.
But he’s not as forthcoming about the reason.

Pioneering Welsh town begins the transition to a life without oil
As the supply of cheap fuel dwindles, rural Lampeter embarks on 'energy descent'

Felicity Lawrence
Saturday April 7, 2007
The Guardian
http://www.guardian.co.uk/oil/story/0,,2051911,00.html

There is, as the ads say, no Plan B. The age of cheap oil is drawing to a close, climate change already threatens, and politicians dither. But the people of Lampeter, a small community in the middle of rural Wales, gathered together earlier this week to mobilise for a new war effort. They decided to plan their "energy descent".