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.

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Canada's energy industry: Tarred with the same brush

Canada's energy industry
Tarred with the same brush
The Gulf spill has focused American minds on pollution from Canadian oil producers. But cleaning up the tar sands will not be easy

Aug 5th 2010 | ottawa
The Economist

Tar Sands Mining in Canada Creates Mercury, Arsenic Pollution

Oil-Sands Mining in Canada Creates Mercury, Arsenic Pollution, Globe Says
By James Kraus - Aug 10, 2010
Bloomberg

Canada’s oil sands mining operations are producing vast and fast-growing amounts of mercury, heavy metals, arsenic and other toxic substances, the Globe and Mail reported, citing data released by Environment Canada.

The volume of arsenic and lead produced and left behind in talings ponds by bitumen mines run by Syncrude Canada Ltd, Suncor Energy Inc. Canadian Natural Resources Ltd. and Royal Dutch Shell Plc rose 26 percent, the newspaper reported.

Tar sands toxins growing rapidly

Oil sands toxins growing rapidly
Volume of arsenic, lead increased 26 per cent in last four years, Environment Canada says

Nathan VanderKlippe

From Tuesday's Globe and Mail
Aug. 09, 2010

Canada’s oil sands mining operations produce vast and fast-growing quantities of deadly substances, including mercury, heavy metals and arsenic, new data released by Environment Canada shows.

Pipeline leak deals blow to Tar Sands

Pipeline leak deals blow to Canada’s oil sands industry
By Bernard Simon in Toronto
Financial Times
Published: July 29 2010

Canada’s oil sands industry was trying to defuse a fresh public relations headache on Thursday after a ruptured pipeline spilled about 4m litres of Alberta crude into waterways in southern Michigan.

Lisa Jackson, head of the US Environmental Protection Agency, said that “this is a serious spill that has the potential to damage a vital waterway and threatens public health”.

An ill wind in oil country

A heavy smell of tar hangs over this hamlet, and when people and animals got sick, some residents began to make a stink of their own
Josh Wingrove

From Saturday's Globe and Mail
Jul. 24, 2010

Richard Langer never wanted attention. If the 72-year-old had his way, he would have stayed quietly on his ranch forever. It's where he was born, where he has raised a family and made his living.

Proposed rules for tar sands water-removal inadequate: First Nations

Proposed rules for oilsands water-removal inadequate: First Nations
Wants Athabasca protected during low flow

By Hanneke Brooymans,
edmontonjournal.com
July 23, 2010

EDMONTON — First Nations in northeastern Alberta have problems with a proposed management system for the Athabasca River that would allow oilsands operators to withdraw water during critical times of low flows.

The recommended water-withdrawal rules were released earlier this year and have since been reviewed l by the Athabasca Chipewyan and Mikisew Cree First Nations.

Agencies Differ on Tar Sands Pipeline

Agencies Differ on Oil Sands Pipeline
July 21, 2010, 10:03 am

By ELISABETH ROSENTHAL
NYTimes

As we’ve reported, the State Department is considering whether to approve a huge new pipeline called Keystone XL that will bring crude from Canada’s oil sands all the way to the Gulf of Mexico.

A new pipeline would vastly expand the amount of oil extracted from Canadian oil sands that is used in the United States – which could be good in terms of energy security.

Why did a parliamentary committee suddenly destroy drafts of a final report on tar sands pollution? Here's what they knew.

What Those Who Killed the Tar Sands Report Don't Want You to Know

Why did a parliamentary committee suddenly destroy drafts of a final report on tar sands pollution? Here's what they knew.

By Andrew Nikiforuk, 15 Jul 2010,
TheTyee.ca
Shredder

Shredded: Standing Committee on Environment and Sustainable Development abruptly cancelled tar sands report.

Blowout near Conklin shoots steam and bitumen into the air

This project-- Devon Jackfish-- had only just announced their approval to double in size. They also just got a few million dollars as "cutting edge leaders" in C02 "capture" technology. They are supposed to be among the best of the tar sands companies in terms of "performance" and "doing the right thing".

Devon Energy reports Alberta Tar Sands well leak

Devon Energy reports Alberta Oil Sands well leak
By Edward Welsch

CALGARY (MarketWatch) -- A blowout at one of Devon Energy Inc.'s oil sands wells in northeastern Alberta over the weekend sprayed an oil mist into the air for nearly 36 hours, the company and regulators said Monday.

Devon employees discovered a leak in one of the producer wells at the company's 35,000 barrel-a-day Jackfish facility mid-day Saturday and managed to seal the leak by midnight Sunday, a Devon spokeswoman said.