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.
Tar sands threatens millions of birds, report says
MARTIN MITTELSTAEDT
From Tuesday's Globe and Mail
December 2, 2008
The development of the tar sands could lead to the loss of more than 160 million birds over the next 30 to 50 years because of the elimination of habitat and deaths from drowning in tailings ponds, according to a report being released today.
Enbridge brings experts to Burns Lake to inform locals
Published: November 25, 2008 11:00 PM
Enbridge held an open house on Nov. 17 at College of New Caledonia (CNC) as part of its efforts to let the public know what is going on with its Northern Gateway pipeline project.
Several dozen people attended the open house, which was held from 4:00 pm to 8:00 pm to allow people flexibility in attending the information session, and a dozen Northern Gateway engineers, environmental experts, and communications people were on hand to answer people’s questions.
Shell moves to slow Canadian oil sands project
Thu Nov 27, 2008 12:57pm EST
CALGARY, Alberta (Reuters) - Royal Dutch Shell Plc (RDSa.L: Quote) is delaying another Canadian oil sands project, saying on Thursday it has withdrawn a regulatory application for its 100,000 barrel per day Carmon Creek thermal project as it looks to shave costs by revamping the project.
Harper asks Obama to ignore oilsand devestation
But can we blame him?
Jackie Grom // Dec 1, 2008
Science and Technology Writer
Bush Quietly Passes Dozens of New Rules
Stephen Leahy
UXBRIDGE, Canada, 1 Dec (IPS) - As the world community meets in Poland
this week to find solutions to the climate crisis, the George W. Bush
White House is chaining the United States' tiller to prevent a change
of course by President-elect Barack Obama by passing new anti-
environmental rules and regulations at a furious pace.
Nearly a million hectares of public wildlands in Wyoming and Utah are
being opened up to oil shale extraction, the Endangered Species Act is
Commercial ship travels through Northwest Passage for first time
The Canadian Press
November 28, 2008 at 8:14 PM EST
GJOA HAVEN, Nunavut — CBC News is reporting that a commercial ship has travelled for the first time through the Northwest Passage this fall to deliver supplies to communities in western Nunavut.
The broadcaster says the Canadian Coast Guard says the MV Camilla Desgagnes, owned by Desgagnes Transarctik Inc., transported cargo to the hamlets of Cambridge Bay, Kugluktuk, Gjoa Haven and Taloyoak from Montreal in September.
http://www.radio4all.net:8080/files/redeye@coopradio.org/91-1-shutting_d...
Program Podcast: Redeye - Co-op Radio: Shutting down the tar sands
Podcast for Program: Shutting down the tar sands
In series: Redeye - Co-op Radio
The Alberta tar sands cover a vast area of huge open pits and tailings ponds.
The environmental consequences are enormous and make a mockery of
any Canadian attempt to reduce carbon emissions under the Kyoto
Protocol. Petr Cizek is a land use planner and author. He says that a
The Nuclear Push
Mining lobby wants uranium ban lifted
November 24, 2008
by David Parker, Asaf Rashid, Angela Day
HANTS COUNTY, NOVA SCOTIA–As the global demand for energy increases and resources dwindle, a collusion of provincial government and extractive industry officials are pushing to establish a uranium mining industry in rural Nova Scotia through a "voluntary planning” process.
Hidden tar-sands agendas
BARRY HEALEY
November 13, 2008
Toronto -- Jeffrey Simpson points out the dishonesty of Stephen Harper in proposing to unite with the U.S. to combat global warming while leaving the tar sands out of the agreement (Little New For Obama In Ottawa's Energy 'Offer' - Nov. 12).
Claims of industrial genocide in northern AB
Click here to email Troy Adams
11/24/2008
A speaker at a conference of people opposed to oilsands development in northern Alberta says aboriginals face a ``genocide'' as companies release waste into rivers that flow through their communities.
Mike Mercredi told the Everyone's Downstream 2 conference in Edmonton that it's a slow, industrial genocide.
