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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Enbridge Pipe Spilling Oil in Saskatchewan-- Underground

Enbridge pipeline shut down after leak
http://www.theglobeandmail.com/servlet/story/RTGAM.20070416.wenbridge041...
DAVID EBNER

Globe and Mail Update

One of the biggest Canadian oil pipelines to the United States has been shut down after a leak was discovered Sunday night, according to operator Enbridge Inc.

Line 3 connects Hardisty, Alta., with Wisconsin, carrying 450,000 barrels of oil a day to refiners in the U.S. Midwest — more than 20 per cent of Enbridge's capacity on its mainline, which is comprised of several links.

Land Owners vs. Seismic Operations (Marie Lake)

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.

Company plans more than 100 In-Situ Plants

Company plans more than 100 oilsands wells
Japan Canada wants to eventually produce 35,000 barrels per day

Ashok Dutta, CanWest News Service
http://www.canada.com/vancouversun/news/business/story.html?id=5346caff-...
Published: Friday, April 13, 2007

CALGARY -- Japan Canada Oil Sands Ltd. (Jacos) is pressing ahead with a three-year program to drill more than 100 delineation wells and shoot over 65 square kilometres of new 3-D seismic data at its lease in Athabasca's oilsands.

Water Wasted in Vast Amounts; Albertan Government Placates with Panel

The schemes around water need a scrutiny that does not trust in panels. With the slow-privatization of water underway with the selling of "water access rights" to farmers in southern Alberta, soon there will be a situation where perhaps GATT could kick in, and no purchaser can be discriminated against. In other words, on the current trends pathway we are headed to making it illegal to regulate how much water gets wasted.

Wildcat growth in oil patch begins to trouble Albertans

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.

"The Battle of Marie Lake": Community vs. Tarsand Seismic Operations

Marie Lake cottage owners say 'never' to oilsands seismic survey
Osum believes northern recreational area contains two billion barrels of oil

Gordon Jaremko, The Edmonton Journal
Published: Monday, April 09, 2007
http://www.canada.com/edmontonjournal/news/business/story.html?id=dd3351...
EDMONTON - Call it the battle of Marie Lake.

Plans to sail an industrial mini-armada onto a beauty spot 300 kilometres northeast of Edmonton, for a spring marine seismic survey of an oilsands deposit beneath the lake, has ignited furious resistance.

BC's Coast to see oil and gas shipping and drilling?

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.

Alberta Health: Fort Chip "Only" Eating Moose with 17-33 Times the Safe Arsenic Level

Government Study Reduces Level of Reported Arsenic in Moosemeat
http://www.dailyheraldtribune.com/z_fortmac0404.lasso

FORT McMURRAY (CP) - Area residents still doubt the safety of deer and moose meat from the oilsands region, despite a provincial study suggesting the arsenic levels are comparable to other areas.

''The community members are questioning the study,'' said Melody Lepine, executive director of the Mikisew Cree Industrial Relations Corp.

''Why were there no other contaminants being looked at?'' she asked. ''What does it really mean to compare it to the Yukon moose?''

Mackenzie Valley gas pipeline hits new snag: Dehcho want land use plan

Mackenzie Valley gas pipeline hits new snag
First Nation wants wilderness plan first
LISA SCHMIDT, CanWest News Service
Montréal Gazette, Calgary Herald
April 05, 2007

The last aboriginal holdout to the Mackenzie Valley natural gas pipeline is putting up another hurdle to its development, calling on the federal government yesterday to protect vast swaths of northern wilderness before the project can proceed.

Dehcho Nation wants land protection for pipeline

Dehcho Nation wants land protection for pipeline
Apr 04, 2007 07:39 PM
James Stevenson
Canadian press
http://www.thestar.com/Business/article/199652

CALGARY–Ottawa must act now to protect a vast swath of land in the Northwest Territories if it wants to see a $16-billion natural gas pipeline built down the Mackenzie Valley, a major Dene First Nation said Wednesday.