http://dirtyoilsands.org/index.php Dirty Oil Sands Publications en taylor@bachrachcommunications.com Copyright 2011 2011-11-29T15:54:08+00:00 /files/NRDC_Pipeline_Tanker_Trouble_Web.pdf http://dirtyoilsands.org/blog/pipeline_and_tanker_trouble#When:15:54:08Z The Canadian government is considering a proposal to build a pipeline under mountains and across rivers that could carry more than half a million barrels of raw tar sands crude oil (known as bitumen) daily across important salmon rivers, coastal rainforests, and sensitive marine waters. While the potentially devastating impacts of tar sands production are well documented, the increased risk and potential harm from transporting bitumen is less known.1,2 This report outlines the potential dangers of bitumen transportation and the risks of spills to the environment and the economy in a region that depends on healthy fisheries, lands, and waters. 2011-11-29T15:54:08+00:00 /files/TarSandsandCETA.pdf http://dirtyoilsands.org/blog/tar_sands_and_the_ceta#When:23:24:00Z The recent decision by the European Union (EU) to disregard Canadian government pressure and forge ahead with regulations that recognise the higher green-house-gas intensity of fuel produced from tar sands and oil shale is encouraging. The Canadian government has lobbied furiously against Article 7a of the European Fuel Quality Directive (FQD) and is even threatening to challenge the measure under international trade rules. The Canadian government position flies in the face of increased scientific certainty that the ever-expanding exploitation of oil sands reserves within Canada and around the world would lead to disastrous climate change. In the words of climate scientist James Hansen, “Policy makers need to understand that these unconventional fossil fuels, which are as dirty and polluting as coal, must be left in the ground if we wish future generations to have a liveable planet (Hansen, 2009: 173).” Reports, 2011-10-31T23:24:00+00:00 /files/GLI_KeystoneXL_Reportpdf.pdf http://dirtyoilsands.org/blog/pipe_dreams_jobs_gained_jobs_lost_by_the_construction_of_keystone_xl#When:17:05:28Z The purpose of this briefing paper is to examine claims made by TransCanada Corporation and the American Petroleum Institute that, if constructed, TransCanada’s proposed Keystone XL (KXL) pipeline will generate enough employment to kick-start important sections of the US economy through the creation of tens of thousands—perhaps even hundreds of thousands—of good, well-paying jobs for American workers. Reports, 2011-10-03T17:05:28+00:00 /files/OCIKeystoneXLExport-Fin.pdf http://dirtyoilsands.org/blog/exporting_energy_security_keystone_xl_exposed#When:14:50:29Z A closer look at the new realities of the global oil market and at the companies who will profit from the pipeline reveals a completely different story: Keystone XL will not lessen U.S. dependence on foreign oil, but transport Canadian oil in American refineries for export to overseas markets. 2011-08-31T14:50:29+00:00 /files/HyperionViability_aug2011.pdf http://dirtyoilsands.org/blog/feasibility_of_hyperion_refinery_project_in_south_dakota#When:15:19:00Z This memorandum summarizes Hart Energy’s opinion on the viability of the proposed Hyperion refinery project, focusing on the supply, demand and economics of a major U.S. Midcontinent refinery expansion. 2011-08-25T15:19:00+00:00 /files/drilling-down-july2011.pdf http://dirtyoilsands.org/blog/drilling_down_groundwater_risks_imposed_by_in_situ_oil_sands_development#When:15:25:25Z Drilling Down: Groundwater Risks Imposed by In Situ Oil Sands Development provides clear, achievable recommendations for improving groundwater management, assessment and monitoring in the oil sands region. In Drilling Down, Water Matters recommends scientifically rigorous monitoring and assessment of groundwater resources by the provincial and federal governments, and perhaps most importantly the eradication of technical and regulatory uncertainties inherent to the in situ oil sands industry that pose huge risks to groundwater in the region. Reports, 2011-07-22T15:25:25+00:00 /files/GFW_whooping_cranes_report_jul2011.pdf http://dirtyoilsands.org/blog/migration_of_whooping_cranes_grus_americana_through_albertas_bitumen_sands_#When:16:32:23Z This report maps historical records of whooping crane flight paths and landing points in relation to Alberta's bitumen (oil) sands region. Whooping cranes have regularly flown over and landed within Alberta's oil sands region. Their migration route intersects with areas leased to and developed by oil sands companies, including the surface mineable area and its associated facilities, mine pits and tailings ponds. Several factors present in the oil sands region, including exposure to tailings ponds, poses a threat to the survival and recovery of the Canadian wild whooping crane population. Reports, 2011-07-15T16:32:23+00:00 /files/2011-Worst-case-Keystone-spills-report.pdf http://dirtyoilsands.org/blog/analysis_of_frequency_magnitude_and_consequence_of_worst-case_spills_from_t#When:13:32:46Z TransCanada is seeking U.S. regulatory approval to build the Keystone XL pipeline from Alberta, Canada to Texas. The pipeline will transport diluted bitumen (DilBit), a viscous, corrosive form of crude oil across Montana, South Dakota, Nebraska, Kansas, Oklahoma and Texas. The purpose of this paper is to present an independent assessment of the potential for leaks from the pipeline and the potential for environmental damage from those leaks. Reports, 2011-07-12T13:32:46+00:00 /files/Tar_Sand_Final_May10.pdf http://dirtyoilsands.org/blog/tar_sands_fuelling_the_climate_crisis_undermining_eu_energy_security_and_da#When:14:57:42Z The global development of tar sands will magnify the climate crisis and damage the EU’s environment and development objectives, this report warns. It reveals that investment by European oil companies – such as BP, Shell, Total and ENI – is expanding with developments around the world including in the Republic of Congo, Venezuela, Madagascar, Russia, Jordan and Egypt, with potentially disastrous consequences for the climate and local communities. Reports, 2011-07-01T14:57:42+00:00 /files/Marginal_Oil_Layout_13.PDF http://dirtyoilsands.org/blog/marginal_oil_-_what_is_driving_oil_companies_dirtier_and_deeper#When:14:52:44Z With conventional oil production in decline, the global oil industry is investing heavily in dirtier and riskier forms of unconventional oil such as heavy crude, tar sands, and oil shale. These investments pose a challenge to the climate, the environment, and local communities. This paper is a document that describes the drivers behind marginal oil investments and gives an overview of existing and potential projects across the globe. It contains important analysis that should be public knowledge and will productively feed the ongoing debate, from Cancun to Durban to Rio and beyond. Reports, 2011-07-01T14:52:44+00:00 /files/FactSheet-TSimpactsonpeopleclimateenvironement.pdf http://dirtyoilsands.org/blog/tar_sands_impacts_on_people_climate_and_the_environment_-_from_canada_to_af#When:14:43:07Z This fact sheet basically explains how much the global development of tar sands will magnify the climate crisis and damage the environment and development objectives. Tar Sands are a naturally occurring mixture of sand or clay, water and an extremely dense and viscous form of petroleum called bitumen. The process of converting tar sands into fuel releases three to five times the greenhouse gas emissions of conventional oil. The pollution, deforestation, and disturbance to wildlife associated with tar sands development threaten the additional livelihood and wellbeing of indigenous communities. Fact Sheets, 2011-07-01T14:43:07+00:00 /files/2011-07-08_CERI_Study_125_Section_1.pdf http://dirtyoilsands.org/blog/economic_impacts_of_staged_development_of_oil_sands_projects_in_alberta_201#When:13:44:55Z The worldwide economic recession that hit in 2008 affected the Canadian oil sands significantly. But close to three years later the industry is once again expanding, with a number of major projects under development and still more proposed for the future. Pipelines, or other transportation means such as increased rail haulage, will soon be required to ship new product to destinations in the United States and elsewhere. Three major transportation projects are being planned and have received considerable attention from government, stakeholders, and the general public. These pipeline proposals face opposition, and the possibility exists that one, two, or all three may not be realized. This study examines the impacts of oil sands operations (existing and future) limited by pipeline export capacity. Four capacity scenarios, or cases, are documented within this report: Reports, 2011-06-14T13:44:55+00:00 /files/ED_ENBreport_mar2011_screen.pdf http://dirtyoilsands.org/blog/king_carbon#When:14:09:41Z Enbridge is more than just the company that delivers natural gas to homes across Ontario. It's also the largest shipper of tar sands oil, and is responsible for shipping enough of Canada’s oil and gas each year to equal, when burned, half of Canada’s entire annual release of global warming pollution. Reports, 2011-05-17T14:09:41+00:00 /files/Dirty-Business-TransCanada.pdf http://dirtyoilsands.org/blog/dirty_business_how_transcanada_pipelines_bullies_farmers_manipulates_oil_ma#When:11:58:39Z Dirty Business: How TransCanada Pipelines bullies farmers, manipulates oil markets, threatens fresh water and skimps on safety in the United States, examines the tactics and motivations of TransCanada Pipelines, one of the continent’s largest pipeline companies, as it pushes for approval of its proposed mega-project, the Keystone XL tar sands oil pipeline. The Canadian tar sands oil industry produces some 1.5 million barrels a day of this dirty, highly polluting crude. And the United States is its main customer. TransCanada is proposing a new pipeline that would carry the tar sands oil from Alberta, Canada to Texas – across six U.S. states, several rivers and the Ogallala Aquifer, a source of drinking water for two million people, as well as a source of irrigation water for many of the nation’s farms. Dirty Business shows how TransCanada has bullied farmers and ranchers in America’s heartland into giving up their land; it has misled the American public about the safety risks of the project; and it has aimed to manipulate American oil markets for its own profit. When TransCanada first applied for the Keystone XL permit, its approval appeared to be a foregone conclusion. But controversy of the project is growing, final approval is in question, and the Obama administration has the power to shut it down. To learn more and join the growing fight against TransCanada’s tar sands boondoggle, visit http://www.foe.org/keystone-xl-pipeline. Reports, 2011-04-28T11:58:39+00:00 /files/news_files/MayorParkerLtrToClinton-Keystone_XL_Pipeline-03012011.pdf http://dirtyoilsands.org/blog/letter_from_houston_mayor_to_hillary_clinton_regarding_keystone_xl#When:21:04:14Z A copy of the March 1, 2011 letter from Houston mayor Annise D. Parker to Hon. Hillary Rodham Clinton. In the letter, the mayor adds her voice to that of the EPA and others in calling for the State Department to provide additional information and analysis regarding the Keystone XL pipeline project. Letters, 2011-03-07T21:04:14+00:00 /files/tarsandssafetyrisks.pdf http://dirtyoilsands.org/blog/tar_sands_pipeline_safety_risks#When:13:07:25Z Tar Sands Pipeline Safety Risks, shows that by its nature raw tar sands oil or diluted bitumen is more corrosive and more likely to result in pipeline failures. The risks of spills from tar sands pipelines are high and U.S. safety regulations are not enough to protect special places such as the Great Lakes, the Nebraska Sandhills and the Ogallala Aquifer. With the proposed Keystone XL tar sands pipeline in the middle of its environmental impact assessment by the U.S. State Department, getting a better understanding of what raw tar sands oil in a pipe means for our environment and safety is more important than ever. Reports, 2011-02-16T13:07:25+00:00 /files/ClintonResponseToNelson-20101209-smaller.pdf http://dirtyoilsands.org/blog/secretary_clinton_response_to_nebraska_senator_ben_nelson_re_keystone_xl_pe#When:13:27:56Z Secretary Clinton responds to Senator Nelson's October 10th, 2010 letter assuring him that a decision has not been made regarding the Keystone XL dirty tar sands oil pipeline permit. She also indicates that they will be sure to take into account potential impacts to the Ogallala aquifer, and are deciding whether or not to conduct a supplementary environmental impact statement (EIS). Letters, 2010-12-16T13:27:56+00:00 /files/HouseKXL-SEISLtrToClinton-20101203.pdf http://dirtyoilsands.org/blog/house_letter_to_secretary_clinton_requesting_supplementary_eis_for_keystone#When:12:38:31Z 28 members of the House of Representatives sent this letter to Secretary of State Hillary Clinton urging her to "honor" the U.S. EPA's low rating of the draft Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) and conduct a Supplementary EIS for the Keystone XL dirty tar sands oil pipeline proposal. Letters, 2010-12-16T12:38:31+00:00 /files/WEO2010_OilUseMustDrop_FINAL.pdf http://dirtyoilsands.org/blog/oil_use_must_drop_to_meet_climate_goals#When:11:53:58Z The 2010 World Energy Outlook, published on November 9, shows that in order to meet climate goals global oil demand must peak by 2018. This goal will not be easy to achieve but may still be within reach. The IEA’s forecasts for oil demand have consistently declined for several years and demand growth appears to be slowing without a concerted effort from most countries. The implication for expensive, high risk and high carbon fuels such as Canadian tar sands is that over the long haul, in a world that is responding to climate change, neither price nor demand will support the rapid growth that is currently planned for by industry and the Canadian government. Reports, 2010-12-02T11:53:58+00:00 /files/NRDC_TarSandsBitumen.pdf http://dirtyoilsands.org/blog/tar_sands_pipelines_presenting_unaddressed_hazards_to_public_safety#When:17:30:20Z Tar sands crude oil pipeline comanies may be putting the American public's safety at risk by using conventional pipeline technology to transport a highly corrosive, acidic and potentially unstable blend of thick raw bitumen and volatile natural gas liquid condensate called DilBit. Reports, 2010-12-01T17:30:20+00:00 /files/GreenSupplementalEISltr-20101124.pdf http://dirtyoilsands.org/blog/environmental_group_letter_to_secretary_clinton_requesting_a_supplmental_ei#When:12:58:53Z "On behalf of our millions of members and supporters, particularly those whose land and livelihood are located along the proposed pipeline right-of-way, we write to you to formally request that the Department of State issue a Supplemental Environmental Impact Statement (SEIS) for the Keystone XL project and provide a sufficient period of time for public review. The public and cooperating agencies deserve the opportunity to review and comment on the myriad impacts of this massive energy infrastructure project that were left unaddressed in the Draft EIS before the Department finalizes the EIS." Letters, 2010-11-30T12:58:53+00:00 /files/Johanns_KXLltr_10.21_.10_.pdf http://dirtyoilsands.org/blog/nebraska_senator_mike_johanns_letter_to_secretary_clinton_regarding_her_oct#When:12:36:11Z "Your comment that the State Department 'is inclined' to grant approval for the [Keystone XL] pipeline appears to prejudge the outcome as a foregone conclusion." Letters, 2010-11-30T12:36:11+00:00 /files/EPA-KXL-EIScomments.PDF http://dirtyoilsands.org/blog/epa_letter_to_the_state_department_commenting_on_the_keystone_xl_draft_eis#When:12:07:24Z In its comments on the State Department's draft Environmental Impact Statement for the Keystone XL dirty tar sands oil pipeline, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency judged the EIS to be "inadequate" and in need of revision. Letters, 2010-11-30T12:07:24+00:00 http://plainsjusticeblog.wordpress.com/2010/11/23/plains-justice-report-pipeline-emergency-response-plans-dangerously-inadequate http://dirtyoilsands.org/blog/the_northern_great_plains_at_risk_oil_spill_planning_deficiencies_in_keysto#When:03:52:00Z This first-of-its-kind report shows that TransCanada’s emergency response plan and on-the-ground spill defense preparations for the Keystone pipeline system are inadequate to respond to a serious spill along the thousands of miles of buried pipeline already in place or currently proposed in the northern Great Plains. No other publicly available report provides this level of detailed spill response analysis for tar sand pipeline infrastructure in the U.S. Reports, 2010-11-24T03:52:00+00:00 /files/Keystone_XL_Jobs_11-09-10.pdf http://dirtyoilsands.org/blog/transcanada_exaggerated_jobs_claims_for_keystone_xl#When:18:42:29Z Oil giant is inflating the jobs potential from construction of its proposed tar sands pipeline by 13 times. Jobs estimates from a TransCanada- commissioned report differ sharply from a Department of State analysis. Fact Sheets, 2010-11-09T18:42:29+00:00 /files/SenateKXLltrToSecClinton.pdf http://dirtyoilsands.org/blog/senate_letter_to_secretary_of_state_clinton_on_keystone_xl#When:12:39:26Z Letters, 2010-10-29T12:39:26+00:00 /files/SenateKXLltrToSecClinton_Backgrounder.pdf http://dirtyoilsands.org/blog/senate_letter_to_secretary_of_state_clinton_on_keystone_xl_-_backgrounder#When:11:53:00Z The import of the Senate letter to Secretary Clinton urging caution regarding the permitting of the Keystone XL tar sands oil pipeline. Fact Sheets, 2010-10-28T11:53:00+00:00 /files/DeFazioLaHood-HeavyHaulLtr-08-25-10.pdf http://dirtyoilsands.org/blog/representative_defazio_heavy_haul_letter_to_transportation_secretary_lahood#When:18:37:05Z Oregon Representative Pete DeFazio's letter to Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood urges the Secretary to closely examine the potential impacts of the "Heavy Haul" road widening necessary to transport tar sands mining equipment to Exxon's Kearl project in Alberta. It also points out that U.S. taxpayers shouldn't be subsidizing the Albertan tar sands mining. Letters, 2010-09-15T18:37:05+00:00 /files/Gov.FictionVS_.TSFacts_.pdf http://dirtyoilsands.org/blog/government_fiction_vs_tar_sands_facts#When:20:12:17Z There's a "he said/she said" back and forth going on between the Canadian/Albertan government and the NGO community. The difference between the two: the government is attempting to refute facts with fiction. Fact Sheets, 2010-09-08T20:12:17+00:00 /files/PelosiMarkeyLetterFINAL.pdf http://dirtyoilsands.org/blog/no_tar_sands_oil_letter_to_house_speaker_nancy_pelosi_on_her_trip_to_canada#When:15:47:13Z The No Tar Sands Oil network group letter to House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and Select Committee on Energy Independence and Global Warming Chair Edward Markey in preparation for their September 2010 trip to Canada. The letter thanks them for their efforts to transition the United States to a clean energy future. It also highlights the importance of stopping the Keystone XL pipeline so as to stop America's increasing addiction to the world's dirtiest oil... so that a clean energy future can be possible. Letters, 2010-09-08T15:47:13+00:00 /files/Onshore_Oil_Disasters_8-26-10.pdf http://dirtyoilsands.org/blog/onshore_oil_disasters#When:13:49:13Z Fact sheet from the National Wildlife Federation discussing why tar sands pipelines are dirty and dangerous, despite the industries PR tactics to try and prove otherwise. Fact Sheets, 2010-08-31T13:49:13+00:00 /files/TransCanadaKeystoneXLeminentDomainThreatLetter-20100721.pdf http://dirtyoilsands.org/blog/transcanada_threatens_nebraska_landowner_with_eminent_domain#When:16:49:57Z In this copy of a letter to a Nebraska landowner, TransCanada is threatening eminent domain -- taking their property by government fiat -- to acquire land for the Keystone XL tar sands pipeline proposal. They are making these threats before the pipeline has been approved. Letters, 2010-08-27T16:49:57+00:00 /files/FultonKeystoneXLltrToStateDept_8.23_.10_.pdf http://dirtyoilsands.org/blog/nebraska_state_senator_tony_fultons_letter_to_state_department#When:16:22:48Z Nebraska State Senator Tony Fulton, a conservative member of the state legislature, sent a letter to the Department of State asking a series of questions about the safety of the Keystone XL pipeline proposal. Letters, 2010-08-27T16:22:48+00:00 /files/State.070210_.Clinton_.Keystone_.XL_.pdf http://dirtyoilsands.org/blog/house_energy_cmte_chair_letter_to_state_dept_keystone_xl_is_a_step_in_the_w#When:12:40:34Z House Energy and Commerce Committee Chair Henry Waxman's letter to Secretary of State Hillary Clinton declares that building the Keystone XL tar sands oil pipeline would be a "step in the wrong direction" and that it constitutes "a multi-billion dollar investment to expand our reliance on the dirtiest source of transportation fuel." Letters, 2010-07-02T12:40:34+00:00 /files/HouseKXLltr_FINAL.pdf http://dirtyoilsands.org/blog/house_letter_to_secretary_clinton_urging_to_complete_analysis_of_kxl#When:20:21:06Z 50 members of the House of Representatives sent a letter to Secretary of State Hillary Clinton urging the State Department to fully analyze the impacts of the Keystone XL pipeline before permitting it. Specifically, they called for transparent consideration of all potential climate change impacts. Letters, 2010-06-23T20:21:06+00:00 /files/NWF_TarSands_final_pages.pdf http://dirtyoilsands.org/blog/staying_hooked_on_a_dirty_fuel_why_canadian_tar_sands_pipelines_are_a_bad_b#When:07:00:53Z Staying hooked warns that a massive 2,000 mile five-state proposed tar sands crude pipeline -- Keystone XL -- would use safety shortcuts, substandard materials and unsafe practices that would create a high risk of ruptures that would endanger rare species, water supplies, and rancher livelihoods Reports, 2010-06-09T07:00:53+00:00 /files/E2_KeystoneXL_Letter_June2010FINAL.pdf http://dirtyoilsands.org/blog/business_leader_letter_to_secretary_clinton_opposing_keystone_xl#When:15:17:33Z Over 250 individual business leaders co-signed this letter to Secretary of State Hillary Clinton calling on her to suspend the Keystone XL permitting process. Letters, 2010-06-08T15:17:33+00:00 http://environmentaldefence.ca/reports/Dirty_Oil_Dirty_Air.html http://dirtyoilsands.org/blog/dirty_oil_dirty_air_ottawas_broken_pollution_promise#When:18:55:37Z Air pollution in the tar sands regions was at levels above what the Alberta Government considers safe, known as ‘exceedances’, 1,556 times in 2009, Reports, 2010-05-27T18:55:37+00:00 http://www.oilsandswatch.org/pub/2017 http://dirtyoilsands.org/blog/what_is_the_highest_environmental_impact_oil#When:18:38:27Z Oil sands impacts: Mining vs. In Situ Fact Sheets, 2010-05-27T18:38:27+00:00 /files/LETTER_-_Green_Group_Dirty_Fuels_Letter_to_Obama_20100525.pdf http://dirtyoilsands.org/blog/group_letter_to_president_obama#When:14:15:47Z The gulf spill shows that ALL dirty fuels are dangerous and expensive -- including the tar sands. Please reduce our dependence on dirty fuels. Letters, 2010-05-25T14:15:47+00:00 /files/FS_TarSandsInvasion.pdf http://dirtyoilsands.org/blog/tar_sands_invasion_--_fact_sheet#When:16:59:22Z A companion to the full report, the Tar Sands Invasion fact sheet explains in short how dirty and expensive oil threatens America's new energy economy. Fact Sheets, 2010-05-19T16:59:22+00:00 /files/HansenLTR-to-NorwayPM.pdf http://dirtyoilsands.org/blog/james_hansen_letter_to_norway_prime_minister_discouraging_statoil_tar_sands#When:11:54:57Z In an opinion editorial in Norwegian newspaper Aftenposten, Professor James E. Hansen calls on Jens Stoltenberg to show leadership and pull Statoil out the destructive extraction of oil from the Canadian tar sands. The full text of the letter -- in English -- is available at Greenpeace Canada's website. Clicking the thumbnail returns the original letter with the logos of supporting organizations. Letters, 2010-05-18T11:54:57+00:00 /files/CERES_OS_ShrinkingWindow.pdf http://dirtyoilsands.org/blog/canadas_oil_sands_--_shrinking_window_of_opportunity#When:16:16:51Z Oil sands production is expensive and faces significant risks associated with its environmental and social impacts. This report concludes that if the industry does not take steps to aggressively manage these risks, its long-term growth is in doubt. Reports, 2010-05-17T16:16:51+00:00 http://earthworksaction.org/publications.cfm?pubID=452 http://dirtyoilsands.org/blog/tracking_tar_sands_crudes_gulf_coast_refineries_taking_venezuela_and_persia#When:15:51:44Z This research builds upon Research Note 1: Canadian Crude Oil Imports to U.S. Refineries: Tracking Tar Sands Crude, to demonstrate: * Of the Gulf Coast refineries shown to take Canadian tar sands crude whether and how much Venezuelan and Persian Gulf Crude oil they imported in 2009. * Of the Gulf Coast refineries projected to take Canadian tar sands crude from the Keystone XL pipeline, whether and how much Venezuelan and Persian Gulf Crude oil they imported in 2009. There are two notes in this series. The first is Canadian crude oil imports to U.S. refineries. Reports, 2010-05-14T15:51:44+00:00 http://earthworksaction.org/publications.cfm?pubID=451 http://dirtyoilsands.org/blog/tracking_tar_sands_crudes_candian_crude_oil_imports_to_u.s_refineries#When:15:41:18Z In 2009, there were 43 refineries that reported receiving heavy Canadian crude oil imports (of all refineries reporting imports of crude oil). It is assumed that these refineries did receive Canadian tar sands crude, as tar sands crude is a heavy oil, and, as of 2006, tar sands crude accounted for 43% of crude oil production in Canada. In addition, tar sands production surpassed conventional oil production in the western Canadian provinces. There are two notes in this series. The second is Gulf Coast refineries taking or projected to take Canadian tar sands crude that also take Venezuelan and Persian Gulf crudes. Reports, 2010-05-14T15:41:18+00:00 /files/TarSandsInvasion-FINAL-low.pdf http://dirtyoilsands.org/blog/tar_sands_invasion#When:12:09:05Z How dirty and expensive oil from Canada threatens America's new energy economy Reports, 2010-05-10T12:09:05+00:00 /files/PlainsJustice-KXLnotNeeded.pdf http://dirtyoilsands.org/blog/the_keystone_xl_pipeline_not_needed_too_expensive_better_solutions_exist#When:11:50:21Z The primary concern driving development of the Keystone XL pipeline is the ability to use U.S. Gulf Coast refining capacity to process tar sands crude oil, especially in the event of lost imports from Venezuela, Mexico and Nigeria. However, other more cost-effective and environmentally responsible solutions exist including more flexible use of our existing crude oil pipeline system and energy efficiency efforts that will help consumers adapt to increasing oil prices. Reports, 2010-05-10T11:50:21+00:00 http://www.greenpeace.org.uk/media/reports/tar-sands-your-tank http://dirtyoilsands.org/blog/tar_sands_in_your_tank#When:11:32:52Z Exposing Europe's role in Canada's dirty oil trade Reports, 2010-05-10T11:32:52+00:00 /files/CEI-TarSandsMeansHigherOilPrices.pdf http://dirtyoilsands.org/blog/tar_sands_oil_means_high_gas_prices#When:12:06:04Z Tar sands (also known as oil sands) oil production is the most expensive oil production in the world. The Keystone XL pipeline will create significant over capacity for tar sands crude into the U.S. raising pipeline tariffs and adding to the already high cost of tar sands production. The growth in tar sands production needed to fill the Keystone XL pipeline will only occur if oil prices keep rising. Tar sands production exerts little if any influence over global oil prices because it maintains no spare production capacity. Tar sands production is a symptom of high oil prices and not a basis for lower prices. Reports, 2010-05-06T12:06:04+00:00 /files/Timoney_FOIP.pdf http://dirtyoilsands.org/blog/wildlife_mortality_foip_request#When:14:44:04Z Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy (FOIP) request was filed by independent scientist Kevin Timoney and sought material from Alberta Sustainable Resource Development (SRD). The disclosed SRD information covers only three oil companies and shows reported deaths of 27 black bears, 67 deer, 31 red fox, 21 coyote, as well as moose, muskrats, beavers, voles, martens, wolves, and bats. Letters, 2010-04-08T14:44:04+00:00 /files/NRDC_KeystoneXL_FINAL.pdf http://dirtyoilsands.org/blog/say_no_to_tar_sands_pipeline#When:20:09:10Z Proposed Keystone XL Project Would Deliver Dirty Fuel and High Costs -- NRDC factsheet Fact Sheets, 2010-03-09T20:09:10+00:00 /files/Ceres-InvestorsPerspectivePPT_FINAL.pdf http://dirtyoilsands.org/blog/the_oil_sands_in_context_part_of_the_solution_or_merely_prolonging_the_prob#When:15:17:56Z An investor's perspective: aggressive oil sands development will not meaningfully improve energy security nor lower oil prices. Reports, 2010-01-05T15:17:56+00:00 /files/20091211_MEPtarsandsLTRcopenhagen.pdf http://dirtyoilsands.org/blog/european_parliament_members_letter_to_tar_sands_companies#When:21:49:23Z A group of 11 MEPs, representing three political groups and seven countries, is today appealing to the leaders of four European oil companies to stop producing oil from Canadian tar sands, a process causing 2-3 times more pollution than the production of conventional oil. Letters, 2009-12-11T21:49:23+00:00 /files/CommentsToWH_EISA933_CEI_SC_GP.pdf http://dirtyoilsands.org/blog/comments_to_the_white_house_regarding_the_eisa_section_933_energy_security_#When:19:01:48Z The following comments are submitted as input to the content of the report the White House is required to submit to Congress under Section 933 of the Energy Independence and Security Act (EISA). This memo focuses on the role of Canadian oil sands, traditionally known as tar sands, and suggests that the White House begin dismantling myths about the supposed key role of oil from tar sands to provide energy security. We argue that growth in tar sands imports cannot provide energy security to the United States. Letters, 2009-12-07T19:01:48+00:00 http://www.water-matters.org/pub/watered-down http://dirtyoilsands.org/blog/watered_down_overcoming_federal_inaction_on_the_impact_of_oil_sands_develop#When:13:06:20Z Watered Down highlights some of the most compelling testimony from the recent federal hearings by the House of Commons Standing Committee on Environment and Sustainable Development. From its testimony, Watered Down derives the recommendation that the Government of Canada should live up to its legislative responsibility and substantially increase its role in protecting human health and the environment through the oversight and regulation of the oil sands industry's impact on fresh water resources and aquatic ecosystems. Reports, 2009-11-23T13:06:20+00:00 http://foeeurope.org/corporates/news/dextructives.html http://dirtyoilsands.org/blog/energy_futures_enis_investments_in_tar_sands_and_palm_oil_in_the_congo_basi#When:14:32:58Z Plans by oil company Eni to develop tar sands and oil palm in the Congo Basin risk irreversible damage to biodiversity, local communities and our climate, and break the company’s own guidelines, according to Congolese human rights organisations and their international partners. Reports, 2009-11-09T14:32:58+00:00 http://climate.pembina.org/pub/1909 http://dirtyoilsands.org/blog/climate_leadership_economic_prosperity#When:15:07:40Z Climate Leadership, Economic Prosperity is the first Canadian study of its kind to show regional impacts on employment and gross domestic product, and the first to comprehensively examine how Canada can meet a greenhouse gas reduction target for 2020 that goes beyond the federal government’s target. Reports, 2009-11-02T15:07:40+00:00 http://bit.ly/41acUb http://dirtyoilsands.org/blog/carbon_capture_and_storage_in_the_alberta_oil_sands_-_a_dangerous_myth#When:12:28:49Z The study produced by The Co-operative Financial Services and WWF-UK debunks the idea, lauded by oil companies and the Canadian government, that carbon capture and storage (CCS) will significantly counter the high levels of greenhouse gases emitted in the production of oil from tar sands deposits in Alberta, Canada. Reports, 2009-10-26T12:28:49+00:00 http://www.globalforestwatch.ca/ http://dirtyoilsands.org/blog/does_the_alberta_tar_sands_industry_pollute_the_scientific_evidence#When:16:07:55Z The extent to which pollution from tar sands industrial activities in northeastern Alberta, Canada affects ecosystem and human health is a matter of growing concern that is exacerbated by uncertainty. In this paper we determine whether physical and ecological changes that result from tar sands industrial activities are detectable. We analyze a diverse set of environmental data on water and sediment chemistry, contaminants in wildlife, air emissions, pollution incidents, traditional ecological observations, human health, and landscape changes from the Athabasca Tar Sands region, Canada. Reports, 2009-10-22T16:07:55+00:00 http://www.environmentaldefence.ca/reports/dived_we_fall.html http://dirtyoilsands.org/blog/divided_we_fall_the_tar_sands_vs._the_rest_of_canada#When:17:57:02Z A change of direction on climate policy is in the works in Ottawa, prompted by developments in Washington, DC. The Government of Canada is now designing new rules for carbon polluters. The tar sands is the fastest growing source of greenhouse gas emissions in Canada. Special treatment for the tar sands industry could come at the expense of the industrial sectors that are the economic backbone of provinces such as Ontario and Québec - sectors whose emissions are on the decline. The economic repercussions of a biased system design could hurt non-petroleum industries in Canada, and drive a damaging wedge between the provinces. Provinces, businesses, labour leaders, and citizens need to engage in the design of a national cap and trade system to ensure it is fair and doesn't favour the tar sands at the expense of other parts of the country. Reports, 2009-10-16T17:57:02+00:00 http://www.greenpeace.org/canada/en/recent/tarsands_report http://dirtyoilsands.org/blog/alberta_tar_sands_a_major_climate_and_economic_threat_greenpeace_report#When:21:34:04Z Edmonton, Canada — A new Greenpeace report details how the world’s addiction to oil is increasing the threat the Alberta tar sands pose to the global climate. Reports, 2009-09-14T21:34:04+00:00 http://www.environmentaldefence.ca/reports/just_visiting.html http://dirtyoilsands.org/blog/just_visiting_stephen_harpers_climate_insincerity2#When:21:32:23Z The report, released in advance of Prime Minister Harper's visit to the White House in September 2009, demonstrates the gulf between him and President Obama on climate change. Reports, 2009-09-14T21:32:23+00:00 /files/USCAN_CAN_Canada_Letter_9-9-09FINAL.pdf http://dirtyoilsands.org/blog/september_14th_letter_to_president_obama_regarding_prime_minister_harpers_v#When:15:20:00Z The Climate Action Network to President Obama expressing concerns that Prime Minister Harper wants to protect the oil sands industry from climate regulation. Letters, 2009-09-14T15:20:00+00:00 /files/RaittLtrToSchwarzenegger20090421.pdf http://dirtyoilsands.org/blog/canadian_minister_lisa_raitt_letter_to_california_gov._schwarzenegger#When:19:36:59Z A letter from Canadian Minister of Natural Resources to California Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger opposing California's then pending, now in effect, Low Carbon Fuel Standard. Letters, 2009-09-10T19:36:59+00:00 http://www.polarisinstitute.org/new_report_exposes_toxic_tar_sands_impacts_in_the_great_lakes_region http://dirtyoilsands.org/blog/toxic_trail_exposure_youth_delegation_tracks_tar_sands_in_great_lakes_regio#When:15:58:12Z The report, “Toxic Trail Exposure,” is the result of an Ontario youth delegation that traveled together to Sarnia, Detroit and Windsor to uncover and expose the connections between the Great Lakes Region and tar sands developments. Reports, 2009-09-03T15:58:12+00:00 http://www.pembina.org/pub/1871 http://dirtyoilsands.org/blog/carbon_copy_preventing_oil_sands_fever_in_saskatchewan#When:16:53:47Z The oil sands in Saskatchewan could hold as much as 2.3 billion barrels of bitumen, and cover an area of 27,000 square kilometres. Development of oil sands is still in its early stages in Saskatchewan, so there is still an opportunity to do things properly and avoid the mistakes in Alberta. Reports, 2009-08-19T16:53:47+00:00 /files/CanadianNGOltr_debunkChinaalternative.pdf http://dirtyoilsands.org/blog/asia_not_a_significant_short-term_option_for_albertas_tar_sands#When:00:11:45Z Letter to U.S. Department of State debunking the oil sands industry claim that, were the Alberta Clipper pipeline to be denied, the oil would be piped through British Columbia and shipped to China. 2009-08-07T00:11:45+00:00 http://www.nodirtyenergy.org/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=103&Itemid=149 http://dirtyoilsands.org/blog/map_of_tar_sands_oil_refineries_and_pipelines_in_the_united_states#When:17:24:17Z Fact Sheets, 2009-06-19T17:24:17+00:00 /files/BorealForest-CarbonMaps.pdf http://dirtyoilsands.org/blog/carbon_storage_in_canadas_boreal_forest-_map#When:17:12:12Z Map of carbon storage in Canada's Boreal Forests. Maps, 2009-06-19T17:12:12+00:00 http://www.pembina.org/pub/1571 http://dirtyoilsands.org/blog/under-mining_the_environment_the_oil_sands_report_card#When:17:00:42Z This Pembina Institute and WWF-Canada report is the most comprehensive comparative assessment of 10 of Alberta's operating, approved or applied for oil sands mines. The first of its kind, this report finds that for the most part oil sands mines get a failing grade. Oil sands mines were ranked on 20 different environmental indicators in five categories: environmental management, land impacts, air pollution, water use, and management of greenhouse gases. Reports, 2009-06-19T17:00:42+00:00 /files/TamingTempestWeb.pdf http://dirtyoilsands.org/blog/taming_the_tempest_alternative_options_for_alberta#When:16:51:16Z Report suggesting raising royalties to 90% and public ownership of energy companies in Canada. Reports, 2009-06-19T16:51:16+00:00 http://arctic.pembina.org/pub/1272 http://dirtyoilsands.org/blog/oil_sands_fever_the_environmental_implications_of_canadas_oil_sands_rush#When:16:46:40Z This fact sheet provides an overview of key facts and figures from The Pembina Institute's book Oil Sands Fever: The Environmental Implications of Canada's Oil Sands Rush. The book examines the environmental effects of oil sands mining in northern Alberta. From toxic tailings ponds that already cover 130 square kilometres, to fresh water use and the direct impacts of digging 100 metre open pit mines over thousands of square kilometres of boreal forest, the report details the environmental problems and other challenges that oil sands mining poses to northern Alberta. Fact Sheets, 2009-06-19T16:46:40+00:00 http://alberta.pembina.org/pub/1741 http://dirtyoilsands.org/blog/making_it_real_checklist_implementing_albertas_land-use_framework#When:16:37:36Z This report is a response by the Pembina Institute and the Canadian Parks and Wilderness Society (CPAWS) Northern Alberta to the final version of the Alberta Land-use Framework (LUF). It provides the Government of Alberta with a checklist for the successful implementation of the LUF. Making It Real Checklist: Benchmarks for Implementing Alberta’s Land-Use Framework recommends that the Government of Alberta take actions in six key areas to translate the LUF’s policy direction into meaningful change on the ground. Reports, 2009-06-19T16:37:36+00:00 /files/CanadaClimatePolicy_Pembina.pdf http://dirtyoilsands.org/blog/the_government_of_canadas_climate_policy_a_backgrounder#When:16:25:55Z Background information on Canada's Climate Policy. Reports, 2009-06-19T16:25:55+00:00 http://www.policyalternatives.ca/publications/commentary/fuelling-fortress-america http://dirtyoilsands.org/blog/fueling_fortress_america_a_report_on_the_athabasca_tar_sands_and_u.s._deman#When:16:16:41Z A report on the environmental and social impacts of oil sands development and its relationship to the U.S. oil market. Reports, 2009-06-19T16:16:41+00:00 /files/timoney-fortchipwater-111107.pdf http://dirtyoilsands.org/blog/a_study_of_water_and_sediment_quality_as_related_to_public_health_issues_in#When:16:05:10Z A Study of water and sediment quality as it relates to public health. Reports, 2009-06-19T16:05:10+00:00 /files/profundo_bank_report.pdf http://dirtyoilsands.org/blog/financing_of_fossil_fuels_and_renewable_energy_by_canadian_banks#When:15:43:25Z The biggest impact that banks have on the climate is through their financing decisions. This report describes the impacts of bank financing on fossil fuel and clean energy development. Reports, 2009-06-19T15:43:25+00:00 http://www.nrdc.org/energy/drivingithome/contents.asp http://dirtyoilsands.org/blog/driving_it_home_choosing_the_right_path_for_fueling_north_americas_transpor#When:15:34:52Z North America faces an energy crossroads. With the world fast approaching the end of cheap, plentiful conventional oil, we must choose between developing ever-dirtier sources of fossil fuels -- at great cost to our health and environment -- or setting a course for a more sustainable energy future of clean, renewable fuels. This June 2007 report explores the full scale of the damage done by attempts to extract oil from liquid coal, oil shale, and tar sands; examines the risks for investors of gambling on these dirty fuel sources; and lays out solutions for guiding us toward a cleaner fuel future. Reports, 2009-06-19T15:34:52+00:00 /files/adirtylittlesecret-2.pdf http://dirtyoilsands.org/blog/a_dirty_little_secret_canadas_global_warming_engine#When:15:25:34Z A discussion of oil sands and global warming. Reports, 2009-06-19T15:25:34+00:00 http://www.oilsandswatch.org/pub/1760 http://dirtyoilsands.org/blog/danger_in_the_nursery_impact_on_birds_of_tar_sands_oil_development_in_canad#When:15:21:19Z The extraction and refining of bitumen from Canada’s oil sands is taking a significant toll on migratory birds throughout North America. This report by the Natural Resources Defense Council, the Pembina Institute and the Boreal Songbird Initiative outlines the current and projected affects of the oil sands industry on migratory bird populations in Alberta’s boreal forest and along the Western Hemisphere’s flyways. Reports, 2009-06-19T15:21:19+00:00 http://arctic.pembina.org/pub/1650 http://dirtyoilsands.org/blog/catching_up_conservation_and_biodiversity_offsets_in_albertas_boreal_forest#When:15:14:09Z In an effort to prevent irreversible decline of species and biodiversity in Alberta's Boreal Forest, industry can take important steps to offset their environmental impacts by setting aside or restoring areas of equal or greater value to the lands disturbed. This report, commissioned by the Canadian Boreal Initiative (CBI) and authored by the Pembina Institute and Alberta Research Council, brings together experiences from the application of offset policies in other jurisdictions with perspectives from industry, First Nations, government, academics and environmental groups in Alberta. It concludes that biodiversity offsets should be considered to address the growing impacts on biodiversity from resource development in the Boreal, including in Alberta's oil sands region. Reports, 2009-06-19T15:14:09+00:00 http://www.environmentaldefence.ca/reports/tarsands.htm http://dirtyoilsands.org/blog/canadas_toxic_tar_sands_the_most_destructive_project_on_earth#When:14:55:05Z Because of their sheer scale, all Canadians are affected by the Tar Sands, no matter where they live. If you live downstream, your water is being polluted and your fish and wildlife may be dangerous to eat. If you live in Saskatchewan you are a victim of acid rain. If you live in BC, supertankers may soon be plying your shoreline carrying Tar Sands oil to Asia. If you live in Ontario, you are exposed to harmful emissions from the refining of Tar Sands Oil. And the impacts do not stop at Canada's border. US refineries are re-tooling to handle the dirty oil from Alberta. With the Tar Sands, Canada has become the world's dirty energy superpower. Environmental Defence's report highlights the environmental and human health effects of the Tar Sands. And, outlines what the federal government should do to clean it up. Reports, 2009-06-19T14:55:05+00:00 http://www.environmentaldefence.ca/reports/tarsands_dec_2008.html http://dirtyoilsands.org/blog/11_million_litres_a_day_the_tar_sands_leaking_legacy#When:14:49:53Z For the first time, this report uses industry information to arrive at a conservative estimate of what the overall leakage from the tar sands tailings ponds is today, and also what it would likely be if proposed projects go ahead. The results are staggering. Already, the ponds are leaking over 11 million litres a day of contaminated water into the environment, which is equivalent to over 4 billion litres a year -- enough to fill the Toronto Rogers Centre (formerly the SkyDome) two and a half times. And, should proposed projects go ahead on schedule, by 2012 this annual leakage rate would increase five-fold to 72 million litres a day, or over 25 billion litres a year -- enough to fill the Skydome over 16 times Reports, 2009-06-19T14:49:53+00:00 /files/ndefs_whatsinyourtank_co.pdf http://dirtyoilsands.org/blog/whats_in_your_tank#When:23:25:40Z Are tar sands used in the gasoline you buy? Fact Sheets, 2009-06-18T23:25:40+00:00 /files/osf-fact-french.pdf http://dirtyoilsands.org/blog/la_fievre_des_sables_bitumineux#When:23:14:52Z Fact Sheets, 2009-06-18T23:14:52+00:00 /files/IEN_CITSC_Tar_Sands_Info_Sheet.pdf http://dirtyoilsands.org/blog/tar_sands_indigenous_people_and_the_giga_project#When:23:00:05Z The impact of tar sands development on indigenous people. Fact Sheets, 2009-06-18T23:00:05+00:00 http://www.nrdc.org/land/strip-facts.asp http://dirtyoilsands.org/blog/strip_mining_for_oil_in_endangered_forests#When:22:55:14Z Big oil interests are scraping away hundreds of thousands of acres in North America’s Boreal forest to produce tar sands oil, and in the process consuming large amounts of natural gas and generating three times as much global warming pollution as conventional crude oil production. Greater efficiency and renewable fuels are far better, cleaner ways to meet our energy Fact Sheets, 2009-06-18T22:55:14+00:00 http://www.oilsandswatch.org/pub/1639 http://dirtyoilsands.org/blog/fact_or_fiction_oil_sands_reclamation#When:22:48:29Z Fact or Fiction: Oil Sands Reclamation is a critical review of current policies and practices governing oil sands reclamation. The researchers found woefully inadequate reclamation progress, astonishing rates of toxic tailings creation and no proven way to clean them up. After 41 years of oil sands mining operations in northern Alberta only 0.2% or one square kilometer of disturbed land is certified as reclaimed. The researchers also found that the security deposits made by companies to guarantee reclamation may be inadequate, forcing Canadians to foot the bill for reclaiming vast areas of mined and disturbed boreal forest. Fact Sheets, 2009-06-18T22:48:29+00:00 /files/dirtyfuels-2.pdf http://dirtyoilsands.org/blog/dont_support_dirty_fuels_oil_shale_and_tar_sands_are_not_americas_energy_an#When:22:37:26Z Facts about tar sands, oil shale, and liquid coal. Fact Sheets, 2009-06-18T22:37:26+00:00 http://www.oilsandswatch.org/pub/1654 http://dirtyoilsands.org/blog/upgrader_alley_oil_sands_fever_strikes_edmonton#When:21:11:19Z Oil sands production in northern Alberta could triple by 2020, to four million barrels a day. As a result of this increasing oil sands production, a major industrial expansion of bitumen upgraders is underway northeast of Edmonton. This so called "Upgrader Alley" is expected to handle early half the oil sands production, right on Edmonton’s doorstep. The Pembina Institute's new report, Upgrader Alley, provides the first in-depth look at the environmental impacts of upgrading oil sands bitumen in the Edmonton region. It recommends that the Government of Alberta only approve new projects once environmental and infrastructure plans are completed and implemented Reports, 2009-06-18T21:11:19+00:00 /files/Dirty_Oil_Sands_1.pdf http://dirtyoilsands.org/blog/canadas_tar_sands_americas_1_source_of_oil_has_dangerous_consequences#When:21:00:25Z Shows the connection between the oil sands and the US, and provides three specific examples of environmental degradation that comes with oil sands production: intensive emissions far higher than extracting traditional oil, deforestation of the Boreal Forest and loss of wildlife, and diminishing water quality from toxins for downstream aboriginal communities. Reports, 2009-06-18T21:00:25+00:00 http://www.oilsandswatch.org/pub/1839 http://dirtyoilsands.org/blog/clearing_the_air_on_oilsands_myths#When:20:28:56Z Identifies a growing body of oil sands “spin” from federal and Alberta politicians and the oil sands industry. This resource provides the full context and facts about oil sands development with concise, referenced information on its environmental impacts. Reports, 2009-06-18T20:28:56+00:00 /files/Tar_Sands_Article_Environmental_Health_Journal_EHP117pa150PDF.pdf http://dirtyoilsands.org/blog/ehp_tar_sands_article#When:17:33:38Z Discusses the health impacts from tar sands operations Reports, 2009-06-15T17:33:38+00:00 http://www.seattlepi.com/opinion/400431_hansen18.html http://dirtyoilsands.org/blog/james_hansen_presidents_trip_to_canada_defines_critical_carbon_moment#When:14:25:58Z Prior to President Obama's first trip abroad -- to Canada where Prime Minister Harper wanted to discuss special treatment for oil sands development -- NASA climatologist James Hansen penned this open letter/op-ed about the perils of oil sands. Letters, 2009-02-17T14:25:58+00:00