Oil Sands Truth: Shut Down the Tar Sands

Water

Water is needed in huge amounts in tarsands production and in all other construction stages of tarsands infrastructure across the continent. It takes five litres of water to produce one of usable petrol. There is also water used to move gas, build new tar pits or that water which becomes polluted in the outlying areas. Waste tailings ponds are so vast as to be visible from outer space at this early point in production. Water is now being privatized in slow motion, as “access rights” are available in Alberta. As production grows and climate change continues to parch southern Albertan land, more and more water will be needed to help supply fuel for the American market. This water will ultimately be diverted from rivers, lakes, farms and cities throughout Canada; the water levels in the Athabasca River have already dropped several meters. The Deh Cho/Mackenzie River is already threatened, both from development along its valley and it is downstream from tar sands operations. A generation ago, the Athabasca River was clear and drinking was common. Now, those that live with the river consider it poison and off-limits.

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Pasta, Beer, Easter Eggs too Expensive because of Ethanol

Meat, dairy and other food producers assail ethanol
Congress about to decide whether to require sixfold hike in fuel output
Tucson, Arizona | Published: 09.16.2007

WASHINGTON — Already this year, ethanol has been blamed for more expensive Easter eggs, dying shrimp along the Louisiana coastline and costlier milk in school lunches.

Germans curse biofuels for higher beer costs. In Italy, consumer advocates organized a pasta boycott last week, complaining that pasta prices have soared because farmers grow crops for fuel, not food.

Nuclear just too hot for Alberta

It is important that the industry PR men & women are able to believe their own press-- but it is equally important that they are not believed by those of us who wish to counter their stories.

Editorial: North Dakota must step up on planned [Keystone] pipeline

North Dakota must step up on planned pipeline
Sep 14, 2007 - 08:30:11 CDT
By TIM MATHERN
Fargo

A pipeline company wants access to thousands of acres of private land in the state. Recent hearings before the Public Service Commission tell me this issue goes way beyond the PSC; the governor needs to provide leadership.

The TransCanada Keystone pipeline would carry Canadian "tar sands" oil from Alberta to refineries in other states. PSC approval of the route would make more than 400 landowners subject to condemnation proceedings.

Shell Claiming "Psychology" Driving Oil Prices; Aim to ramp up Tar Sands Production 5 times

Shell Chief Says `Psychology' Boosting Oil Prices

By Sonja Franklin

Sept. 12 (Bloomberg) -- Royal Dutch Shell Plc Chief Executive Officer Jeroen van der Veer said there is sufficient crude oil supply in global markets and that prices are driven by speculation.

``The supply and demand is pretty OK,'' he said at a briefing with reporters in Calgary today. ``What we do have is a lot of psychology in the price. We have to expect volatility in the oil price due to this psychological component.''

Peace River: Environmental group protests the nuclear plant

Environmental group protests the nuclear plant
Peace River Environmental Society questions economic benefit and ecological effect
Justin Pot / R-G Staffwriter
Tuesday September 11, 2007

It’s Wednesday afternoon. Inside the Peace Valley Inn’s Emerald Room representatives from Energy Alberta are handing out pamphlets and talking to citizens about their concerns regarding the proposed nuclear power plant. A Power Point presentation loops on a white screen, tables are arrayed with information and refreshments as the representatives make the rounds, talking to everyone who comes in.

Mackenzie Gas Project Proponents "Getting Optimistic" Again.

Horizon North optimistic on Mackenzie pipeline
Jon Harding, Financial Post
Published: Thursday, September 13, 2007

One of Canada's largest logistics companies catering to northern development projects added its name to a growing list of optimists who believe the $16-billion Mackenzie Gas Project will proceed.

"As others have said here this week, we believe it's not a question of 'if' but rather 'when'," said Bob German, CFO of Horizon North Logistics Inc., a publicly traded Calgary firm.

Tahltan Protest against Shell/CBM takes campaign to British media

Protest against Shell takes campaign to British media
CATHRYN ATKINSON
September 11, 2007
http://www.theglobeandmail.com/servlet/story/LAC.20070911.BCSHELL11/TPSt...

Native protesters and environmental groups are taking the next round of their fight against a coal-bed methane exploration project in a remote part of central B.C. to the British media.

Nebraska: Keystone Pipeline Concerns Are Aired

Wednesday, September 12, 2007
Story last updated at 1:16 am on 9/12/2007
Pipeline Concerns Are Aired

By: Nathan Johnson
nathan.johnson@yankton.net
http://images.morris.com/images/yankton/mdControlled/cms/2007/09/12/1988...

During a meeting Tuesday to comment on the Department of State's Draft Environmental Impact Statement for the proposed Keystone Pipeline, area residents pinpointed what they see as shortcomings in the document.

Haisla Indian Act Government selling out to Liquified Natural Gas Port?

This article would make some sort of sense if the proposed deal recognized the ownership of the Haisla, and if they were to be paying taxes, rent, and more in the way of revenue sharing that actually represents the Haisla as the eternal owners of this territory. It does not do any of that. It is more in the model of typical land grabs with shady councils of bought and paid for corruption.

Suncor Trying to Buy Up Natural Gas Supplies for Tar Pits

However benignly this article is written, it means that the pipeline infrastructure from all directions-- BC, NWT, southern AB, lower 48 and more-- is expected to grow heading *into* the tar pits so that it can grow heading *out of* the tar pits. This doesn't include the "into" pipelines for 'diluent' kerosene needed to convert heavy bitumen into a flowing sludge mock-oil. This article is timed with the corporate projection announcement made by Suncor that they intend to overtake Syncrude as the single largest producer of tar sands mock oil this year. Small wonder, it's a matter of physics.