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.
Clean energy, not photo-op, should be premiers' priority
Provincial agreement on pollution standards would clear the way for action by Ottawa
Aug 05, 2009
Rick Smith
Executive Director of Environmental Defence
When Canada's premiers gather each year, they usually are so concerned with polite, and boring, diplomacy that the only thing that makes the news is the picture of the provincial leaders all wearing the same themed clothing. Cowboy hats for everyone!
Nuclear Power Causes Cancer: What Industry Doesn't Want You To Know
Samuel Epstein,
Cancer prevention expert, prof. emeritus at U. of IL School of Public Health, Chicago
August 4, 2009
Huffington Post
Irving Oil and BP Will Not Proceed With Proposed Second Refinery
Release date: 24 July 2009
BP and Irving Oil announced today they will not be moving forward at this time with the proposed second refinery in Saint John, New Brunswick, as a result of global economic and industry conditions
The joint technical and commercial feasibility study that the two companies have been conducting over the last 18 months concluded that the project was not viable at a time of global economic recession and dampening forecasts for petroleum product demand in North America.
Dene Chief Upset Over Canadian Defence Report
By SHAWN BELL, SRJ Reporter 21.JUL.09
Bill Erasmus Dene National Chief
The Dene Nation has denounced a new report that claims Treaty 8 First Nations pose a threat of violence to oilsands and other resource development in Western Canada.
The report, prepared for the Canadian Defence and Foreign Affairs Institute by Tom Flanagan, states that incidences of violence and protests over resource development will continue as Aboriginal rights and environmentalist movements grow.
Cobra Oil & Gas Provides Technology Update for Utah Oil Sands Prospect
July 23, 2009 09:00 AM Eastern Daylight Time
Chevron to appeal ruling on Richmond refinery
Tom Abate, Chronicle Staff Writer
Thursday, July 9, 2009
(07-08) 18:40 PDT -- Chevron Corp. will appeal a judge's order that it halt an upgrade to its Richmond refinery and revise its environmental review, a ruling that the company blames for causing more than a thousand layoffs.
"We think the judge was wrong," refinery manager Mike Coyle said Tuesday, as he showed off two huge furnaces at the center of the dispute.
Commissioners Approve Pipeline Right-Of-Way
Pretty significant pipeline, says Mayor
Molly Payne
1600kush.com
07/20/2009
Road to coast preferable to highway
Guy Quenneville
Northern News Services
Published Monday, July 20, 2009
SOMBA K'E/YELLOWKNIFE - In Lou Covello's mind, the NWT and Nunavut chamber's most controversial suggestion is not the development of mining towns but the construction of a road through the Slave Geological Province - host to a considerable concentration of mineral deposits - from Yellowknife to the Coronation Gulf.
The proposed road would be more economically rewarding than the Mackenzie Valley Highway, said Covello, the president of the NWT Nunavut Chamber of Mines.
It MUST be noted that Opti-- whose parent corporation is Ormat, an Israeli energy company-- needs to make this commercial venture work for several reasons, the most important being that this "project" would help provide the technology to make Israel "energy self-sufficient". Destroying the Negev is high on the priority list for Israel; this project is nothing but a laboratory for future exploitation of the vast (yet crappy quality) oil shale in historical Palestine.
Chevron: Invest in Richmond's Future
New America Media, Commentary, Jeff Ritterman
Jul 19, 2009
