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.
Alta. delta gets special international designation
by Margaret Munro, Canwest News Service
February 3, 2009
The Peace-Athabasca Delta in northern Alberta was declared one of the Western Hemisphere's most extraordinary and endangered places Tuesday by a leading environmental group that named the delta a "BioGem" it will campaign to save.
New rules govern cleanup of tailings ponds
KATHERINE O'NEILL
February 4, 2009
EDMONTON -- A controversial byproduct of oil-sands operations at the centre of an environmental scandal last spring involving 500 dead ducks will be subjected to tougher rules by Alberta's energy regulator.
Tailings ponds - the toxic, watery waste left over from bitumen processing - must be cleaned up and better managed under new targets and timelines for oil-sands producers.
Environmental Group Wants Enquiry into Enbridge Gateway Proposal
Sun, 2009-01-18
The Friends of the Wild Salmon Coalition is calling for a full public inquiry into Enbridge's proposed Northern Gateway Project. The project, if approved would consist of two pipelines - one to transport tar-sands oil from Edmonton to Kitimat, and the other would transport condensate from Kitimat, back to Alberta. Friends of the Wild Salmon Coordinator Pat Moss says they are concerned about the location of the pipelines.
This past summer, myself and friends were able to "tour" many of the projects in the Athabasca mining region and south of Fort McMurray (one of many places) where SagD/In Situ operations rule the day. These are albums belatedly created from that trip. This does not comprise anything remotely coming towards an exhaustive set of the multiple projects.
(you do not need to have a Facebook identity to see these albums).
Photos are from the land and the air.
Opti-Nexen's Long Lake (North) Project & CP's Surmont Project.
Environment Canada says tar sands pollution will get worse: Toronto Star
Chris Gardner
1/21/2009
The Toronto Star has obtained documents from Environment Canada that say pollution will continue to plague Alberta's oil sands despite plans to pipe harmful greenhouse gases deep underground.
Federal government commits to Mackenzie Gas Project
JENNIFER HILLIKER, METRO CALGARY
January 19, 2009 05:49
The $16.2-billion Mackenzie Gas Project may finally go forward.
The project includes construction of a natural-gas pipeline from the Mackenzie River Delta, north of the Arctic Circle, to Alberta. It has been subject to years of delays but Environment Minister Jim Prentice announced Monday in Calgary that the federal government has made a financial offer to the backers of the project.
Definitely the largest of all the SagD plants in operation within Alberta, this plant has now officially begun operations involving "Or Crude"-- a process developed and patented within 1948 conquered Palestine ["Israel"] to reduce energy costs in development of the large oil shale deposits within those borders.
Lawsuit Filed To Stop Tar Sands Development in Utah
01/20/2009
SustainableBusiness.com News
The Sierra Club and the Indigenous Environmental Network are fighting an unprecedented project that would bring one of the dirtiest forms of energy extraction in the world to eastern Utah. The proposed Antelope Creek tar sands oil project threatens to disrupt wildlife, poison and dry up rivers, and imperil human health with hazardous air pollutants, the groups claim. The project would also produce an exorbitant amount of the greenhouse gases.
January 9, 2009
Youth protest against the tar sands in Fort Chipewyan
Youth from Fort Chipewyan marched through the streets to protest against the tar sands in -32 degree temperatures this afternoon.
The march was organized by 10 year old Robyn Courtoreille, who got other youth involved in the protest.
"Syncrude and Suncor have been poisioning our water, air, so we protested to let them know we want a future not cancer," said Dailen Powder, 12, after the protest.
"I was protesting because I dont want anymore deformed two jawed fish in our lake," said Cherish Kaskamin, 11.
