Arguments
2013 SkS News Bulletin #5: Alberta Tar Sands and Keystone XL Pipeline
Posted on 27 March 2013 by John Hartz
- Anti-Keystone XL protests erupt across US
- Coalition seeks more data, photos of Suncor waste-water spill
- ERM green-lighted BP's explosive Caspian pipeline
- Federal ads were to address controversies
- In B.C., Northern Gateway has poisoned the well
- Keeping the cork in the oil sands bottle
- Keystone public comments won't be made public
- Keystone XL foes swiftly dismiss US Senate vote
- Keystone XL picks up US Senate backing
- Life after oil and gas
- Tar sands resistance heats up
- Wastewater leak from oilsands plant
Anti-Keystone XL protests erupt across US
Over 30 protests as part of Week of Action to Stop Tar Sands Profiteers held by over 50 grassroots organizations take on corporate investors bankrolling the toxic Keystone XL tar sands pipeline.
Dozens Arrested as Anti-Keystone XL Protests Erupt Across Country, EarthFirst! Newswire, Mar 20, 2013
Coalition seeks more data, photos of Suncor waste-water spill
A coalition of environment, First Nations and landowner groups is demanding the release of photos and detailed information related to an industrial waste water spill Monday at a Suncor Energy Inc. site.
A letter sent to Alberta Environment Minister Diana McQueen Wednesday morning states that members are concerned about “the recent toxic release” that made its way into the Athabasca River following a pipe rupture at a Suncor site north of Fort McMurray.
Coalition seeks more data, photos of Suncor waste-water spill by Kelly Cryderman, The Globe & Mail, Mar 27, 2013
ERM green-lighted BP's explosive Caspian pipeline
The more things change, the more they stay the same.
State Department's Keystone XL Contractor ERM Green-Lighted BP's Explosive Caspian Pipeline That Failed To Live Up to Jobs Hype by Steve Horn, DeSmog Blog, Mar 23, 2013
Federal ads were to address controversies
One of the key concerns for the federal government in a multimillion-dollar Natural Resources advertising campaign was the negative publicity around the proposed Northern Gateway pipeline, according to internal government documents.
Federal ads were to address controversies around Northern Gateway: documents, The Canadian Press, Mar 25, 2013
In B.C., Northern Gateway has poisoned the well
With so much at stake, both environmentally but also in terms of the enormous wealth contribution energy exports make to the Canadian economy, it’s regrettable that a cogent conversation on this subject isn’t occurring. Instead, any attempts at lucid discourse are being drowned out by overly dramatic, self-serving rhetoric that provides no good purpose at all. And we all lose in the process.
In B.C., Northern Gateway has poisoned the well, Op-ed by Gary Mason, The Globe and Mail, Mar 22, 2013
Keeping the cork in the oil sands bottle
Are the bitumen deposits in NE Alberta the biggest carbon bomb on the planet or will their exploitation have hardly any effect on the climate? Will the Keystone XL (KXL) pipeline accelerate development of the oil sands or will it make little difference?
Keeping the Cork in the Oil Sands Bottle by Andy Skuce, Planet 3.0, Mar 26, 2013
Keystone public comments won't be made public
The State Department is refusing to provide routine and timely public access to comments filed on its controversial Keystone environmental review.
Keystone Public Comments Won't Be Made Public, State Department Says by John H Cushman Jr, InsideClimate News, Mar 25, 2013
Keystone XL foes swiftly dismiss US Senate vote
Environmentalists reacted swiftly to downplay a bipartisan Senate vote backing the Keystone XL pipeline, which supporters said underscored widening political support for the project.
Keystone XL foes swiftly dismiss Senate vote backing pipeline by Jim Snyder, Bloomberg News/Financial Post, Mar 27, 2013
Keystone XL picks up US Senate backing
The Senate on Friday voted 62-37 to approve the proposed Keystone XL oil sands pipeline in an amendment to Senate budget.
Sen. John Hoeven’s (R-N.D.) amendment was largely symbolic, but served as a clear statement that the Senate backs the pipeline.
Keystone XL picks up Senate backing by Zack Coleman, The Hill, Mar 22, 2013
Life after oil and gas
To what extent will we really “need” fossil fuel in the years to come? To what extent is it a choice?
Life After Oil and Gas, News analysis by Elisabeth Rosenthal, New York Times, Mar 23, 2013
Tar sands resistance heats up
Climate activists on both sides of the U.S. and Canadian border are ratcheting up the fight against the Keystone XL tar sands pipeline this week as the U.S. Senate ponders a recently proposed bill that would expedite its approval and "short-circuit" the State Department's pipeline environmental review.
Tar Sands Resistance Heats Up With Week of Actions From US to Canada by Jacob Chamberlain, Common Dreams, Mar 20, 2013
Wastewater leak from oilsands plant
Suncor has now confirmed that a wastewater leak from an outfall pond at its oilsands plant north of Fort McMurray, Alta., did enter the Athabasca River.
Wastewater leak from oilsands plant enters Athabasca River, CBC News, Mar 26, 2013
Well written piece on Planet 3.0 by our own Andy Skuce.
I argee with the analysis therein: it's not the co2 numbers that matter in that debate but the symbolic approval of the investors to continue/increase the financing of these industries. The industries would not go ahead witrhout those investments. KXL itself maybe small step of increased emissions but will lead to a "giant leap" when investment monies go behind it.
chriskoz:
I agree completely with your assessment of Andy Skuce's article, Keeping the Cork in the Oil Sands Bottle. In fact, I woiuld like to see it reposted on SkS.
Thanks, Chris & John. The reason I didn't publish it here is that it was a little bit too political and opinionated for Skeptical Science norms.
Michael Tobis and Dan Moutal have a great blog going at Planet 3.0, with a slightly different focus than SkS, with more discussion on sutainable technologies and cultures, but with the same overall goal: promoting understanding and solutions on climate change. I urge all SkS regulars to check it out.