Tar Sands

Protestors Lock Selves To Pipeline Trucks

August 26, 2014 Michigan Coalition Against Tar Sands, www.michigancats.org Resist! Civil Disobedience, Michigan, Protest, Tar Sands

At about 7:30am this morning, two men locked their necks with bicycle U-locks to a pipeline construction truck, immobilizing it, as it was exiting a Precision pipeline storage yard at 3565 East Lakeville Road. This action has resulted in a back-up of trucks that have been blocked from exiting the pipe yard. At the time of this writing, there is a police presence around the two persons locked to the truck as well as dozens of other supporting protestors. Precision Pipeline, who runs the pipeline storage facility, is hired by Enbridge to expand Line 6B. In 2010, Line 6B ruptured in Marshall, MI spilling over 1 million gallons of toxic tar sands and diluents into Talmadge Creek, impacting 40 miles of the Kalamazoo River. Four years later, Enbridge states that the Kalamazoo River is the cleanest it has ever been while dragging its feet in clean-up efforts. Simultaneously, Enbridge states that the river will never be completely clean, and has meanwhile been expeditiously expanding the 6B pipeline system to carry a higher capacity of tar sands oil. Acting to disrupt Precision Pipeline, 20-year-old Duncan Tarr and 21-year-old Dylan Ochala-Gorka, both Michigan residents and organizers with a group called the Michigan Coalition Against Tar Sands (MICATS), demand a halt to Enbridge’s expansion of line 6B as well as restitution for those still suffering from effects of the 2010 tar sands disaster.

Tar Sands, Trade Rules And Gutting Human Rights For Corporate Profit

August 22, 2014 Patrick Tsai, www.iatp.org Educate! Canada, Corporatism, Free Trade Agreements, Tar Sands

A new report released today from IATP takes an in-depth look at how tar sands have developed from an unconventional, inefficient energy source to the spotlight of the corporate agenda as conventional oil supplies dwindle. Tar Sands: How Trade Rules Surrender Sovereignty and Extend Corporate Rights follows the development of energy policy from NAFTA up to current free trade negotiations to illustrate that while energy sources evolve, one trend remains constant: The protection of corporate profits at the expense of human rights, sovereignty and the environment. With new free trade agreements in negotiation, the time for action is here: The public needs a seat at the negotiating table. The Washington Post’s disclosure last month of yet another leaked EU Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership (TTIP) negotiating document on Energy and Raw Materials (ERM) brings to light the overwhelming emphasis placed on dismantling the United States’ ability to govern its own energy resources. Pressure to repeal the Energy Policy and Conservation Act (EPCA), due to new-found U.S. energy reserves through hydraulic fracturing, stands as most controversial to environmentalist and anti-globalist. Instituted in 1975 in response to the 1973 OPEC oil crisis, the EPCA ensures domestic supply of oil by preventing U.S.-produced crude oil from being exported to foreign countries.

Major Investor Pulls Out Of Kitmat LNG Project

August 3, 2014 Jenny Uechi, www.vancouverobserver.com Resist! Canada, Pipeline, Tar Sands, Victory

The future of a major LNG project in Kitimat has been thrown into uncertainty, after one of its main backers has decided to walk out. Houston-based Apache Corporation says it will leave Kitimat LNG, which was a joint project with Chevron. "Consistent with the company's ongoing repositioning for profitable and repeatable North American onshore growth, Apache intends to completely exit the Wheatstone and Kitimat LNG projects," the company announced today in its second quarter report. The news comes only one month after Premier Christy Clark took a tour of the Kitimat LNG site, and took photos with workers to promote the project. Even though the BC government has ambitious plans to build several LNG terminals in the province, with three built by 2020, some experts have warned that the proposals could be undermined by much nimbler global competitors and sinking gas prices in Asia. To date, Kitimat LNG is the only LNG export facility (of 16 proposed) that has been granted an environmental assessment certificate by the province. "While today’s news that Apache intends to leave the Kitimat LNG project changes the ownership structure of that particular proposal, we remain committed to developing a competitive liquefied natural gas export industry in British Columbia," the Premier's office told The Vancouver Observer.

Why First Nations Are Stopping Enbridge’s Tar Sands Pipeline

August 1, 2014 Elizabeth Douglass, www.insideclimatenews.org Resist! First Nations, Pipeline, Tar Sands

British Columbia's First Nations have fought the proposed Northern Gateway oil sands pipeline that would cross their land for years, and they have no intention of letting up just because the federal government recently approved it. They've ignored the wishes of Canadian Prime Minister Harper, shrugged off oil industry promises of local jobs, and rejected offers of part ownership in what could be a lucrative and long-lived project. In short, they've been impervious to the kinds of political pressure and financial enticements that routinely succeed in smoothing the way for oil-related projects in the United States. How come? A big part of the defiance comes from the Coastal First Nations, an alliance of aboriginal groups in British Columbia that has no interest in allowing diluted bitumen from Alberta's oil sands to pass through their territories or get shipped through their fishing grounds. The environment is too important to their culture, to their economy and to a succession of generations to come.

Weak Oil-Train Regulations Don’t Go Nearly Far Enough

July 27, 2014 Deirdre Fulton, www.commondreams.org Organize! Environment, Oil, Railroads, Tar Sands

Environmental groups say the Obama administration's new crude-by-rail regulations (pdf), proposed Wednesday, don't go nearly far enough to reduce the risk posed by hazardous rail cars carrying oil and ethanol across long distances. The proposed rules, which include a phase-out of older tank cars and new brake controls and speed restrictions, come in the wake of a crude-by-rail boom that's led to an increase in derailments and disasters like the one in Lac-Mégantic, Quebec last year that killed 47 people. A train carrying crude oil derailed in Seattle on Thursday, with no spills or injuries reported. The U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) acknowledges: "The safety risk presented by transporting Bakken crude oil by rail is magnified both by an increasing volume of Bakken being shipped by throughout the U.S. and the large distances over which the product is shipped. In 2008, 9,500 rail-carloads of crude moved through our country compared to last year, when there were 415,000 rail-carloads." But the DOT's proposal, which will now go through a 60-day comment period, doesn't reflect that level of urgency, environmentalists say.

Big Oil Threatens Maine City After Tar Sands Export Ban

July 25, 2014 Andy Rowell, www.priceofoil.org Resist! Energy, Oil, Pipeline, Tar Sands

Big Oil has always been a bad, bad loser. And it is therefore no surprise that it has threatened to sue a small coastal city in Maine which on Monday night struck an historical blow against the industry by banning the export of tar sands from its harbour. The decision by South Portland to approve, by 6-1, to ban tar sands exports, has catapulted this small coastal town which is famous for its scenic light-houses against the collective might of the oil industry and Canadian government. The decision is another blow to the tar sands industry which is desperate to find ways of getting its dirty carbon-munching oil to market. It effectively bars any attempt by the oil industry to bring oil from Alberta to the city’s port, the second-largest oil terminal on the east coast of the US. The move has ramifications for the tar sands industry, because it was planning to reverse the flow of the Portland-Montreal pipeline to carry tar sands to the coast. South Portland Mayor Jerry Jalbert told Reuters the vote was an exercise in local democracy. “From the perspective of a locally elected official, it’s a simple issue. People fear this product could be damaging to the community, and they have asked us to act.”

Blockade At First US Tar Sands Project

July 24, 2014 Shad Engelkilterra, www.environews.tv Resist! Environment, health, Tar Sands

On Monday, July 23, 2014, a confrontation between police and environmental activists protesting tar sands development at PR Springs in Utah resulted in two people being injured and 21 people arrested. Between 70 and 80 protesters gathered at the sight of U.S. Oil Sands processing plant where the Canada-based company has started construction of its processing plant. Activists chained themselves to equipment inside a chain link fence where it was being stored. They also locked themselves to the outside of the fence or sat down in the road. Their actions stopped work for between five and six hours according to spokesperson Jessica Lee.

21 Utah Tar Sands Blockaders Arrested

July 23, 2014 Resist! Blockade, Climate Change, Environment, Tar Sands, Utah

Land defenders in Utah locked themselves to equipment being used to clear-cut and grade an area designated for the tar sands’ companies processing plant, as well as a fenced “cage” used to store the equipment. Others formed a physical blockade with their bodies to keep work from happening, and to protect those locked-down to the equipment. Banners were also hung off the cage that read: “You are trespassing on Ute land” and “Respect Existence or Expect Resistance.” 13 people were arrested for locking to equipment. An additional six people were arrested after sitting in the road to prevent the removal of those being taken away in two police vans. Two of the protesters arrested were injured. One was taken a nearby hospital to be treated, while the other is being treated at the Uintah County Jail. The nature of their injuries is not being disclosed by the county sheriffs. A media representative from Unedited Media was also arrested. Two additional people were arrested when they arrived at Uintah Country Jail to provide support to the land defenders inside. An estimated 10 armed deputies with police dogs were standing outside the jail wearing bullet proof vests.

South Portland Approves Law Barring Tar Sands Oil

July 22, 2014 Kelley Bouchard, www.pressherald.com Resist! Energy, Environment, Tar Sands

Nearly 500 people turned out for that meeting, many wearing light blue or red T-shirts in support of or opposition to the changes. Monday night, only the light blue T-shirts of supporters were apparent. The Planning Board voted 6-1 last week to recommend the zoning proposal, which aims to prevent the bulk loading of crude oil, including tar sands, onto marine tank vessels and block construction or expansion of terminals and other facilities for that purpose. Supporters of the ban hugged and congratulated one another after the vote. “This is so exciting,” said Mary Jane Ferrier, spokeswoman for the group Protect South Portland. “This is a big thing with impact far beyond our city.” Opponents – including Tom Hardison, vice president of the Portland Pipe Line Corp. – were disappointed but not surprised that the ban passed.

U.S. Accused Of Forcing EU To Accept Tar Sands Oil

July 19, 2014 Carey L. Biron, www.ipsnews.net Educate! Canada, European Union (EU), Free Trade Agreements, Tar Sands, TTIP, US

Newly publicised internal documents suggest that U.S. negotiators are working to permanently block a landmark regulatory proposal in the European Union aimed at addressing climate change, and instead to force European countries to import particularly dirty forms of oil. Environmentalists, working off of documents released through open government requests, say U.S. trade representatives are responding to frustrations voiced by the oil and gas industry here. This week, U.S. and E.U. officials are in Brussels for the sixth round of talks towards what would be the world’s largest free-trade area, known as the Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership (TTIP). “These documents show that the U.S. is simply not interested in an open, transparent [negotiation] process.” -- Bill Waren “These documents show that the U.S. is simply not interested in an open, transparent [negotiation] process,” Bill Waren, a senior trade analyst with Friends of the Earth U.S., a watchdog group, told IPS. “Rather, U.S. representatives have been lobbying on the [E.U. regulatory proposal] in a way that reflects the interests of Chevron, ExxonMobil and others.” The oil industry has repeatedly expressed concern over the European Union’s potential tightening of regulations around transport fuel emissions, first proposed in 2009 for what’s known as the Fuel Quality Directive (FQD). Yet according to a report released Thursday by Friends of the Earth Europe, the sector now appears to have convinced the U.S. government to work to permanently block the implementation of this standard.

TransCanada Buys Town’s Silence

July 7, 2014 Emily Atkin, www.thinkprogress.org Educate! Energy, Tar Sands, TransCanada

A small town in Ontario, Canada will be receiving $28,200 from energy company TransCanada Corp. in exchange for not commenting on the company’s proposed Energy East tar sands pipeline project, according to an agreement attached to the town council’s meeting agenda on June 23. Under the terms of deal, the town of Mattawa will “not publicly comment on TransCanada’s operations or business projects” for five years. In exchange for that silence, TransCanada will give Mattawa $28,200, which will ultimately go towards buying a rescue truck for the town. “This is a gag order,” Andrea Harden-Donahue, a campaigner for energy and climate issues with the Council of Canadians, told Bloomberg News. “These sorts of dirty tricks impede public debate on Energy East, a pipeline that comes with significant risks for communities along the route.” The terms of the agreement did not specifically mention the controversial Energy East pipeline, which would carry more than a million barrels of tar sands crude oil across Canada each day. However, the deal is being widely seen as a way for the company to avoid obstacles that may get in the way of the pipeline’s approval — especially considering the obstacles that have long plagued the approval of the controversial Keystone XL pipeline in the United States.

The 5th Annual Tarsands Healing Walk

July 3, 2014 Mike Hudema, www.greenpeace.org Resist! Healing Walk, Indigenous Rights, Resistance, Tar Sands

It was a walk of prayer and healing. It was a walk to heal the land, a walk to heal ourselves and a walk to give the earth the strength to resist the damage that is being done to it. Once a year for the past 5-years we have gathered. The first year it was those most directly affected by the tar sands beast joined by a few allies. It was started as a way for the communities most directly impacted to speak in a way that respected their culture and traditions. It was not a protest but a walk of healing. Each year afterwards the healing walk grew. The fifth healing walk brought people from all four coasts – from the Gulf to the Northwest Territories, from B.C. to New Brunswick. From all the pipeline fights (KXL, Northern Gateway, KinderMorgan, Line9, Energy East etc.) we came together in the belly of the tar sands to pray, heal and unite. As tar sands destruction grows so do the movements against it. The routes of pipelines become maps of resistance. They show the Nations and communities to connect to, the struggles to unite, and places to come together. This year, the healing walk joined many of them - a walking tribute of the unity that has been built.

Keystone XL Protesters Enter TD Bank

July 2, 2014 DC Indymedia, www.dcindymedia.org Resist! Banks, D.C., Protest, Tar Sands, Washington, Washington D.C.

On the 28th of June, protesters from Climate First! entered two branches of TD Bank demanding they sever their ties to TransCanada, builder of the Keystone XL tar sands pipeline. At the first branch, protesters were able to get to the counter and attempted without success to hold a discussion with the Saturday day manager. He probably had to write a detailed report on the protest. Afterwards activists rolled out yellow "caution" tape outside and gave out fliers to passers by Activists then went to a second branch of "Tar Dollar" Bank, the one at 15th and P sts where there was a concrete barrel lockdown in March 2013. They got into the ATM vestibule between the inner and outer doors (site of the 2013 lockdown) but a fast-moving bank employee managed to lock the inner doors. This was followed by a second round of yellow tape and fliers. This time around, a cop insisted on removing the yellow tape, claiming it could not be on either public or private property.

High Court Rejects Final Appeal Of Utah Tar Sands Mine

June 27, 2014 Brian Maffly, www.sltrib.com Educate! Environment, Law, Tar Sands, Utah, Water

Without considering the merits of the case, the Utah Supreme Court on Tuesday threw out an environmental challenge to a tar sands mine set to be dug on state trust lands on the Tavaputs Plateau. Living Rivers, a Moab-based group, was too late when it appealed the state groundwater permit issued to U.S. Oil Sands, according to the unanimous decision penned by Justice Thomas Lee. Because the petition was not filed within 30 days, the 2008 decision by the Utah Division of Water Quality "became final and immune from collateral attack." But lawyers for Living Rivers said DWQ gave no notice of that decision. "We didn’t find out about it until we challenged the permit before the Utah Division of Oil, Gas and Mining," said Rob Dubuc of Western Resource Advocates. "It was impossible for any party to comment within that 30-day window." The appeal was the project’s last legal obstacle and Calgary-based U.S. Oil Sands plans to begin preparing the 213-acre mine site and bitumen-processing facility this summer. Production of 2,000 barrels of oil a day is expected by fall 2015, according to company president Glen Snarr.

People’s For Mother Earth, Resistance To Tar Sands Walk

June 26, 2014 Jon Milton, www.rabble.ca Resist! Canada, Capitalism, March, Religion, Tar Sands

It's four in the morning in Kanehsata:ke on the 14 of June. The sun is not up yet, but it is coming soon. The Peoples for Mother Earth are waking up early to watch the sun rise with prominent figures from the reserve. It's still dark, but the marchers are ready for what will be a big day. Emotions were turned up that morning. The previous afternoon (June 13), the marchers had completed their 700 km walk across the province from Cacouna to Kanehsata:ke -- a symbolic and strategic form of resistance to the Tar Sands and the prospective pipelines which will carry them through Quebec. The early part of that day had been spent on a prolonged workshop about potential actions which could follow the march. Many ideas were put forward, and some are currently being worked on. The march had seen a group of people, most of whom did not know each other beforehand, form friendships which will last beyond the project's completion. The marchers were at once happy at the march's successes (including anti-pipeline municipal resolutions passed in at least five towns along the route of Energy East), and sad that the month-long journey was coming to an end. As the group departed Saint Scolastique for Kanehsata:ke, its members were treated to a ceremony by Natasha Kanapé Fontaine, a renowned Inuit poet and activist.

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