Community | June 04, 2009 | 1 comment

Tar sands feel the heat in Washington DC from environmental groups

source: http://www.theglobeandmail.com/report-on-business/oil-sands-feels-the-heat-in-washington/art...

Image
JanforGore
How disappointing to know that Steven Chu actually thinks tar sands is a viable energy source. How can this administration give permits to blow up mountains, prospect for uranium in the Grand Canyon, and now bow to corporate pressure regarding tar sands and still think of themselves as caring for the environment? And again, how can this climate bill in Congress ever look credible in regards to decreasing emissions if tar sands are going to be allowed to go ahead? And it isn't even all about the emissions as much as it is the total environmental devastation of the Boreal Forest and its ecosystems. Al Gore made a speech previously wherein he totally decried the Alberta tar sands and likened it to a drug addict looking for a place in his toe to make an injection. I hope to hear his voice now on this because it is simply wrong for any administration regardless of party to condone this blatant destruction of our environment simply for political expedience.
  1. groups:
    Community,   News and Politics,   Politics,   Green,   1 more
  2. tags:
    News,  News and Politics,  Politics,  Green,  10 more
  3. recommended by:
    Vierotchka
  4.     
    |

1 comment // Tar sands feel the heat in Washington DC from environmental groups

  • JanforGore
    • 0
      JanforGore  

    • Excerpt from article:

      Environmental groups are turning up the heat in Washington on Alberta oil sands producers as Congress debates climate change bills that will set the bar for Canadian regulations.

      In a first-ever summit, Canadian and U.S. environmental leaders met for two days in Washington to lobby Congress to get tough on Canada's "dirty oil" and issued a statement demanding a moratorium on further oil sands development.

      Earlier this week, however, Energy Secretary Steven Chu appeared to reject calls for a moratorium or punitive measures that would stall development, saying the environmental problems could be addressed through technology.

      But the opponents of oil sands development believe that Democratic members of Congress and President Barack Obama remain committed to reducing U.S. reliance on carbon-intensive sources of energy, and paint the oil sands as the worst offender.

      The Canadian and U.S. governments should "declare a moratorium on expansion of tar sands development and halt further approval of infrastructure that would lock us into using dirty liquid fuels," said a statement to be released today by leaders of 21 U.S. environmental groups and nine Canadian ones.

      "Tar sands oil production is the fastest-growing source of greenhouse gas pollution in Canada and is having a devastating impact on boreal ecosystems, migratory birds, and air and water quality."

      The groups are hoping that stiffer opposition to oil sands development will be reflected in U.S. climate change legislation now working its way through Congress, and will force the Harper government to introduce tough standards.

      They are also urging the U.S. government to halt the development of pipelines and refineries in the United States that are needed to transport and process the bitumen from the oil sands.

      "If there is expansion in the oil sands, it will necessitate the expansion of a large amount of damaging new infrastructure in the United States - new pipelines, new refineries, the likes of which we haven't seen in 50 years," said Rick Smith, executive director of Environmental Defence Canada.

      "That is a real concern for the United States."

      end of excerpt.

    • 2 years ago
more from Community:
from the community

top videos