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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Review panel green-lights Mackenzie pipeline

Review panel green-lights Mackenzie pipeline
Last Updated: Wednesday, December 30, 2009
CBC News

Canadian Arctic gas pipeline report due Wednesday

Canadian Arctic gas pipeline report due Wednesday
Tue Dec 29, 2009

CALGARY, Alberta, Dec 29 (Reuters) - The panel assessing the socioeconomic and environmental impact of a C$16.2 billion ($15.6 billion) gas pipeline in northern Canada will issue its long-awaited report on Wednesday, a day earlier than expected, the Northern Gas Project Secretariat said.

The Joint Review Panel has been preparing its findings and recommendations on the proposed 1,220 km (760 mile) Mackenzie Pipeline since public hearings into the project wrapped up more than two years ago.

Tibetan Glaciers Are Retreating

Tibetan Glaciers Are Retreating
At An Alarming Rate

By James Hansen
20 December, 2009

Giss.nasa.gov

Glaciers on the Tibetan Plateau, sometimes called Earth's "third pole", hold the largest ice mass outside the polar regions. These glaciers act as a water storage tower for South and East Asia, releasing melt water in warm months to the Indus, Ganges, Brahmaputra and other river systems, providing fresh water to more than a billion people. In the dry season glacial melt provides half or more of the water in many rivers.

"TransCanada weathers the storm." [MGP]

TransCanada weathers the storm.
Calgary Herald
Thursday, December 24th, 2009
Canwest News Service

CALGARY – TransCanada Corp. managed to weather the downturn surprisingly well.

After an uncertain start to 2009, the Calgary-based pipeline company, which operates Canada's largest natural-gas network, managed to advance its suite of growth projects despite the financial crisis and the recession.

County commission votes to oppose Keystone Pipeline

County commission votes to oppose pipeline

By PAIGE CARSWELL
Published: Wednesday, December 23, 2009 1:39 PM CST
Cowley County commissioners passed a resolution during their Tuesday morning meeting in support of denying a property tax exemption to TransCanada Keystone Pipeline.

The resolution states several reasons the exemption should not be granted, including that businesses operating within the lines of a county should “pay their fair share” and that the pipeline has not been given a tax exemption in any other state.

Shut down the Campbell Pipeline

On Saturday, December 19th, eco-activist Ingmar Lee unfurled a banner
high atop the flagpole at BC's legislature in an effort to draw
attention to the planned pipeline that will ship dirty oil from
Alberta, through the precious Great Bear Rainforest, to Kitimat BC
where it'll be processed and transported along our ragged coast by
supertankers for export. Remember the Exxon Valdez?

Ingmar tells his story here:
http://www.pacificfreepress.com/news/1/5232-climbing-the-pole-for-forest...

CHEK TV'S video is here:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8YqRnHeCud4

Scientists Sound Biomass Alarm; Is Copenhagen Listening?

Monday 14 December 2009

by: Joshua Frank, t r u t h o u t | News Analysis

Current climate legislation and the Kyoto Protocol are undermining the goal of reducing greenhouse gas emissions. Or so contends a cautionary article that appeared in October's peer-reviewed journal of Science.

Conservation (or forestry or Boreal) Offsets: The biggest scam yet.

Since more and more this is likely to become the main "strategy" that countries like Canada and Australia are to "commit to", people should know what this lie is.

It behooves us all to speak to the elephant and call him a big grey liar, and stop pretending he's not there.

--M

Sydney Morning Herald (Sydney, Australia)
December 14, 2009

Green pot of carbon gold lures politicians
GUY PEARSE AND GREGG BORSCHMANN

Lutselk'e shocked by chief's support of Ur-Energy exploration

Lutselk'e shocked by chief's support of Ur-Energy exploration
Last Updated: Thursday, September 3, 2009 |
CBC News

Some residents in Lutselk'e, N.W.T., were surprised Wednesday to hear their leadership is supporting a uranium company that's exploring for uranium in the Upper Thelon area.

Shaky economy hinders Long Lake tar sands project

Shaky economy hinders Long Lake oilsands project
By MARKUS ERMISCH, SUN MEDIA
10th December 2009

Nexen Inc. is delaying the expansion of its Long Lake oilsands project by one year to 2011, citing Canada's hesitant economic recovery and a lack of clarity about new environmental regulations as major reasons.

"Right across our industry, there is quite a measured approach to the pace of investment," Nexen CEO Marvin Romanow said in a conference call yesterday.