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.
Environmental leader attacks Greenpeace climate appointment
By Andrew MacLeod
February 26, 2010 // The Tyee
http://bit.ly/a4bTKv
A prominent British Columbia environmentalist has written a letter to Greenpeace International criticizing the recent appointment of Tzeporah Berman to a position heading the organization's climate and energy campaign.
Husky, BP help fuel oil sands resurgence
Partners cite sharply lower costs in decision to push ahead with
$2.5-billion Sunrise project
David Ebner
Globe and Mail
Jan. 20, 2010
The energy industry slapped down its second multibillion-dollar bet this week on the oil sands, a strong endorsement for a key sector of the Canadian economy in which development almost stopped during the recession.
Conoco's Surmont oilsands expansion to quadruple production
By Shaun Polczer, Calgary Herald
January 20, 2010
CALGARY — In another sign that Alberta's oilsands sector is on the mend, the Canadian subsidiaries of multinational oil giants ConocoPhillips and Total said Tuesday they plan to quadruple oilsands production by 2015, generating billions of new investment and creating thousands of jobs in the stagnant oilsands sector.
Noise limit could kill Mackenzie pipeline, Imperial says
Jeffrey Jones, National Post
Reuters
January 29, 2010
A panel's recommendation to enforce strict noise limits at a bird
sanctuary has the potential to shut down development of the $16.2-billion
Mackenzie pipeline in Canada's Arctic, the project's backers said.
The contention is among several by Imperial Oil Ltd
and its Mackenzie partners in written responses to proposals made by the
Joint Review Panel, which assessed the massive project's environmental and
socioeconomic impacts in a report issued at the end of last year.
Tarsands leave behind ecological dead zone
By: Staff Writer (Winnipeg Free Press)
16/01/2010
DEAR EDITOR,
Don Klassen's letter (In defence of oilsands, Jan. 11) gives the impression that the Alberta oilsands are, relative to China and American industrial emissions, an ecologically benign development. This would be true, relative to China and the U.S., only if the sole dimension to the environmental issue of the tarsands involved CO2 emissions, which is not the case.
Outspoken chief was once 'quiet kid'
By Darcy Henton, Edmonton Journal
January 25, 2010
George Poitras looked out the window of his Fort McMurray office and saw opportunity. Outside the restaurant across the street was Premier Ed Stelmach's face beaming at him from the side of a bus.
Arctic gas lines: Adversaries or teammates?
Rena Delbridge
Jan 13, 2010
In the decades-long quest to tap Alaska's vast natural gas reserves, it has been easy for residents to forget their state is not the only petroleum province with big pipeline proposals. Alaska's neighbor -- Canada's Northwest Territories -- also has a multibillion-dollar proposal to develop its Arctic gas holdings, and that project has the potential to delay Alaska's pipeline plans.
Enbridge shuts oil pipeline after leak; reroutes supply
Reuters, Sun Jan 10, 2010
* Oil supplies rerouted after 440,000 bpd Line 2b halted
* Investigating leak in North Dakota after 3,000 bbl spill (Adds background,
details throughout)
NEW YORK, Jan 10 (Reuters) - Enbridge Energy Partners LP shut down
one leg of the main pipeline delivering Canadian crude to the United States
after discovering a leak, but said it was rerouting supplies via other
lines.
Enbridge, which operates crude oil and natural gas transportation systems in
Enbridge Pipeline crews cleaning up oil leak near Neche, N.D.
UPDATED 10:20 A.M.
Heavy equipment was at the site this morning, skimming soil from the surface to the frost line, according to Pembina County Sheriff Brian Erovick. "it's fairly deep, but it's not that big of any area," he said.
By: Kevin Bonham, Grand Forks Herald
Enbridge pipeline crews are cleaning up a 3,000-barrel crude oil leak near Neche, N.D.
The leak, reported to be about 126,000 gallons of light crude oil, was detected late Friday night by an Enbridge Energy Partners, L.P., control center.
Deh Cho First Nations firm on demands before it will allow pipeline to cross land
Roxanna Thompson and Guy Quenneville
Northern News Services
Published Thursday, January 7, 2010
DEH CHO - The Dehcho First Nations has identified several areas of concern within the long-awaited report from the Joint Review Panel on the potential environmental and socio-economic impacts of the Mackenzie Gas Project.
The panel released the report on Dec. 30, more than four years late. The report's title "Foundation for a Sustainable Northern Future" reflects its positive review of the project.
