Study Warns of Economic Damage in a Keystone Pipeline Spill

A new report from the Cornell University’s Global Labor Institute shows how the Keystone XL tar sands pipeline is an economic liability with the potential to cause significant job losses from a major tar sands spill.

The report also concluded that spills from pipelines of tar sands-derived oil are three times more likely to occur per mile as spills of crude oil. And when they do, researchers say, the damage is greater, the public health risks larger, the clean-up harder, the costs higher.

LINK (Via: Think Progress)

And lets not forget the proposed Northern Gateway pipeline and its associated tanker traffic.

Groundswell

Set sail with Raincoast Conservation Foundation, Patagonia and Woodshed Films for an exploratory surf trip along British Columbia’s unspoiled west coast. While searching for waves, the crew documents what would be threatened if the Northern Gateway tar sands oil pipeline is built.

More info at raincoast.org.

Whistleblower Claims Prime Minister's Office Tried to Silence Enbridge Gateway Pipeline Critic

The Canadian Prime Minister's Office tried to cut funding of a registered intervenor in the Enbridge Pipeline Review, calling ForestEthics Canada an, "Enemy of the Government of Canada" and an, "Enemy of the People of Canada", according to allegations detailed in a sworn affidavit, dated January 23, 2012.

Sworn by Andrew Frank, former Senior Communications Manager with ForestEthics Canada, and an instructor in the Environmental Protection Technology program at Kwantlen Polytechnic University, the affidavit cites three senior managers with Tides Canada and ForestEthics, as well as personal email correspondence.

"Today, I am taking the extraordinary step of risking my career, my reputation and my personal friendships, to act as a whistleblower and expose the undemocratic and potentially illegal pressure the Harper government has apparently applied to silence critics of the Enbridge Northern Gateway oil tanker/pipeline plan," says Frank.

LINK (Via: MarketWire)

Mr. Frank has also written an open letter to the citizens of Canada.

It isn't like this is the first troublesome thing to come out of Canada

Opening salvos in Northern Gateway pipeline battle set to be fired

The mother of all public hearings begins Tuesday in Kitimat as a Canadian federal panel launches hearings into Enbridge's Northern Gateway Pipeline.

LINK (Via: The Vancouver Sun)

The Alberta Tar Sands - The Gift that Keeps on Giving

Along with megaloads rolling through the scenic byways of Idaho and Montana and Enbridges's plan to build dual pipelines to and from the BC coast, the Canadian company TransCanada hopes to build a new pipeline that would bring "oil" from the Alberta Tar Sands to refineries in Texas.

Opposition is building across the Great Plains to this project despite the economic benefits being touted by Transcanada.

New research has just emerged that raw tar sands oil is much more corrosive than standard crude resulting in greater risks for pipeline failures. The report said lines carrying product derived from tar sands are 16 times more likely to leak than lines carrying ordinary crude. Just so happens this new proposed pipeline would travel beneath the Ogallala Aquifer in Nebraska, a huge, shallow water table that provides drinking water for about 2 million people in eight states.

Friends of the Earth has an overview of the project along with a number of ways you can take action.

Why is this man smiling?

Enbridge Inc. will be bribing offering First Nations along its proposed Northern Gateway project hundreds of millions of dollars to agree to the controversial oilsands pipeline, the company said.

Under the pipeline giant's offer, First Nations and Metis communities along the $5.5-billion project would receive approximately $380 million in income over three decades.

Most of the tribes aren't biting. "We're not interest in the package, regardless of what they are offering," said Terry Teegee, vice chief with the Carrier Sekani Tribal Council. "Our community members have already stated it's not worth the risk of not if but when the pipeline breaks.

LINK (Via: The Calgary Herald)

Nearly 7 months after an Enbridge oil pipeline blew out and spilled 843,000 gallons of oil into the Kalamazoo river the clean up continues.

Now Enbridge says they're not responsible for the spill.

Despite public promises to compensate residents for losses associated with the oil spill, Enbridge is arguing that it is not legally liable for damages from the spill.