Another Gas Pipeline Rupture in Montana

Early in July a gasoline pipeline outside of the small town of Lodge Grass on Montana's Crow Indian Reservation spilled 25,000 gallons of gasoline. Over the last 20 years there have been at least three spills from the 8-inch underground pipeline now owned by Phillips 66.

The Lodge Grass spill comes almost two years to the day after 63,000 gallons of crude spilled into Montana's Yellowstone River from an Exxon Mobil line. The cleanup and repair costs for that spill totaled more than $135 million.

Phillips 66 is a Houston-based oil refinery and chemical company. They said the boken pipe outside of Lodge Grass will have to be excavated to be repaired and the contaminated soil likely will have to be removed.

Pipelines and Oil Spills in Alberta Canada

The province of Alberta and the oil industry are fighting to expand the tarsands and build the controversial Keystone XL pipeline and the Northern Gateway pipeline.

The Canadian and Alberta government's are working hard to defend the controversial Keystone XL Pipeline which would ferry tar sands oil from Alberta to the Gulf of Mexico.

Another controversial project, the Northern Gateway pipeline, would ferry oil from Alberta to the West Coast of British Columbia.

Government largely ignores the problem of pipeline ruptures which is endemic to the oil industry. Without the Keystone XL and the Northern Gateway there are already over 399,000 kilometres of pipelines under the authority of the Alberta’s Energy Resources Conservation Board.

Video - Will the Keystone XL Pipeline Increase Greenhouse Gas Emissions?

This video addresses both sides of the debate on whether the Keystone XL pipeline will increase GHG production. The proposed pipeline would ferry tarsands from Alberta to refineries on Texas's Gulf Coast. On June 25th, 2013, President Obama made it clear that he will not authorize the building of the Keystone XL pipeline if it results in an increase in greenhouse gases (GHGs). While it is widely understood that the tarsands are much more GHG intensive than traditional fossil fuels, the question is whether this would result in a net increase in GHG emissions. Those that support the building of the Keystone XL say that in the absence of the pipeline there would be increased transportation traffic (tankers and trucks) which would result in even greater levels of GHGs.

Unions Oppose the Keystone XL in the Jobs vs. Environment Debate

Several unions are opposing the Keystone XL project and this is significant because the strongest argument of supporters of the pipeline is that the project provides jobs. The Communications, Energy and Paperworkers Union of Canada (CEP), the Transport Workers Union. and an increasing number of health care workers have all come out against the pipeline.

Refering to the Keystone XL, David Coles, the president of CEP said "We're diametrically opposed to the construction of it." What makes the support of this union so important is the fact that it represents 35,000 Canadian oil and gas workers, including thousands involved in Canada's tar sands. "The Keystone XL is not good for the economy, it's not good for the environment, it violates all kinds of First Nations rights," Coles said.

BC Opposes the Northern Gateway Pipeline

The provincial government of BC has indicated that it is opposing the Northern Gateway heavy oil pipeline project due in part to environmental concerns. Although environmental concerns and aboriginal rights factor prominently, part of B.C.'s decision appears to be an attempt to sue for a bigger slice of the economic pie.

After reviewing all of the evidence B.C. Environment Minister Terry Lake said, "our questions were not satisfactorily answered during these hearings."

B.C. is dissatisfied with the responses offered to questions related to five areas of concern which serve as the province's conditions for acceptance:

EPA Slams State Department on the Keystone XL

In a letter to the State Department, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) raised serious objections to the proposed Keystone XL pipeline. A State Department's draft report in March said the project would not create significant environmental impacts. Describing the State Department's analysis of the project's environmental impact as "insufficient," the EPA said "oil sands crude is significantly more GHG intensive than other crudes and therefore has the potentially larger climate impacts"

The EPA quotes DSEIS reports which indicates that the lifecycle GHG emissions from oil sands could be 81 percent greater than emissions from the average crude refined in the US. The incremental emissions from the oil sands crude would be 18.7 million metric tons of CO2 equivalent based on the project's capacity of 830,000 barrels per day. Over a 50 year time span that could amount to 935 million metric tons.

Keystone XL Pipeline: Your Last Chance to Say NO!

This is the final official comment period for Keystone XL pipeline. Both 350.org and the Sierra Club are joining many others in sending a message to President Obama and Secretary of State Kerry. They want to make it clear that this project is not in the national interest and Americans along with people around the world are against it.

The Keystone XL pipeline will put more dirty money into the pockets of big oil and worse, it will accelerate tar sands development in Canada, some of the dirtiest oil on earth. That's the definition of reckless.

Anti-Keystone XL Actions Target TransCanada

The current round of protests against the Keystone XL show that popular actions are a real threat, even to a corporate giant. The latest pressure campaign is targeting the builders of the infamous Keystone XL. TransCanada Pipelines have been selected to build the Keystone XL which is supposed to ferry tar sands from Alberta to Texas. The week of actions is being called "Stop Tar Sands Profiteers."  It starts on March 16th and runs until March 23rd.

This campaign is being led by a group that calls itself "Tar Sands Blockade." This is an open grassroots organization composed of people from across North America. This group has been behind more than 38 peaceful direct actions designed to stop the Keystone XL pipeline.

American Employment: Keystone XL vs Green Jobs

While much has been made of all the jobs that would be associated with the Keystone XL pipeline, the truth is that far more long term jobs would be created though green projects. Despite all the wild claims from the oil industry and their supporters, a State Department Report indicated that the Keystone XL pipeline will generate about 42,100 jobs in the construction phase but only 35 permanent jobs to operate the pipeline.

TransCanada, the builders of the Keystone XL claim the pipeline will boost the US economy and create more than half a million jobs. According to a study they commissioned in 2010, the construction of the pipeline would create 118,935 non-permanent jobs and an additional 553,235 permanent jobs due to the increased US oil supply.

A New State Department Environmental Impact Assessment Clears the Keystone XL Pipeline

On Friday March 1, the State Department released a draft environmental impact statement which has cleared the 875-mile Keystone XL pipeline saying it will not harm air, water or landscape. The draft further indicated that although the pipeline will carry 830,000 barrels of crude oil from Alberta to Texas each day, it will not increase greenhouse gases.

Contrary to the whitewashing contained in this report, the pipeline is widely referred to as a “carbon bomb.” Environmentalists have consistently expressed concerns about the fact that tar sands oil are among the dirtiest fossil fuels on earth.

Video - Interview with David Lavallee of White Water, Black Gold

Related Articles
American Employment: Keystone XL vs Green Jobs
A New State Department Environmental Impact Assessment Clears the Keystone XL Pipeline
The DoD's Climate Change Adaptation Roadmap (CCAR) Excludes Keystone XL
Obama to Expedite the Keystone XL Pipeline
The Center for Biological Diversity CREDO and Friends of the Earth Slam Keystone Reversal
Bill McKibben on Obama's Keystone XL Reversal
Republicans Vow to Continue Push for Keystone

Video - White Water, Black Gold: Tar Sands Pipeline

Related Articles
American Employment: Keystone XL vs Green Jobs
A New State Department Environmental Impact Assessment Clears the Keystone XL Pipeline
The DoD's Climate Change Adaptation Roadmap (CCAR) Excludes Keystone XL
Obama to Expedite the Keystone XL Pipeline
The Center for Biological Diversity CREDO and Friends of the Earth Slam Keystone Reversal
Bill McKibben on Obama's Keystone XL Reversal
Republicans Vow to Continue Push for Keystone

Action to Defend Canada's West Coast from Big Oil

A historic direct action will take place in Victoria, B.C. on October 22. When sending letters and signing petitions isn't enough we must say "enough is enough—not on our watch." People from the province of British Columbia will join others from across Canada to converge on the B.C. legislature to take peaceful, direct action to defend the West Coast.

Enbridge and Kinder Morgan are proposing new tar sands pipelines that would bring hundreds of supertankers to B.C.’s fragile coast. B.C. Premier Christy Clark has said she’d support supertanker projects as long as B.C. gets a payout to compensate for the risk of oil spills—in other words, she’s willing to sell out the coast to big oil.

Merkel and Harper: Two Opposing Visions of the Future

German Chancellor Angela Merkel's official state visit with Canadian Prime Minister Stephen Harper highlights the stark contrast between the two heads of state. The have vastly different views on the environment and are leading their respective countries in diametrically opposed energy directions. Germany is a country that has invested heavily in renewable sources of energy while the Canadian government under Conservative leader Stephen Harper, has gutted environmental funding and invested in the tar sands, arguably the world's dirtiest oil project.

Merkel has been a champion of GHG reduction since the mid-1990s, when she was Germany's environment minister. At that time she brought together world leaders to try to limit GHGs. She was instrumental in getting everyone on board the Berlin Mandate of 1995, an agreement that eventually lead to the signing of the Kyoto Protocol two years later.

Government Energy Policy the Environment and the Economy

What a government does, or does not do, on energy policy will have major implications for the future. Rather than allowing the markets to dictate the price of energy, the confluence of environmental and economic concerns are putting pressure on governments to engage the issue of energy.

China recently unveiled a $700-billion program to promote clean energy investment. The U.S. government is seeking greater automotive efficiency and Germany is considering the development of nuclear power. In countries like Brazil Government policy has enabled the country to go from being a net importer to a net exporter of energy.

China, already the largest energy consumer in the world, is planning a major expansion of its greenhouse gas causing coal-fired generating plants. The challenge is the same in India and everywhere in the world because coal is cheap and easily readily available.

The growing energy demands of countries like China and India are widely believed to be a major threat to the environment. However, countries like Canada are also a target of criticism because of their massive oil sand reserves.

Fossil fuel powered energy is a major emitter of GHGs and it drives down the price of energy thereby impeding the growth of renewable sources of power. Fossil fuels are relatively cheap which is why governments must not allow price to dictate energy choice.
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One Million Acts of Green: The Human Network Effect

CBC's talk show, The Hour hosted by George Stroumboulopoulos and Cisco Systems have succeeded in mobilizing people to commmit over one million acts of Green. The campaign appropriately entitled, "One Million Acts of Green" (OMAoG) started in October 2008 and as of today, 1,103,140 Green acts have been registered with participants logging an average 9,435 Green acts per day, and seven Green acts per minute. Although it originated in Canada OMAoG now boasts grassroots support from people in 50 countries. Participants also include businesses, politicians, celebrities, athletes, schools, universities, municipalities, and environmental groups.

There are many ways to act Green, it can be as simple as changing light bulbs or driving less. As referenced in a Green Market article subtitled, The Power of Small Gestures, small efforts can have a huge impact when they are repeated millions of times. The OMAoG campaign started with just one act, there are now more than one million acts of Green, amassed one act a time.

The goal is to change how we live and how we treat the planet and challenge others to do the same. The OMAoG interactive website is an accessible educational resource where people can register their acts of Green. It’s a virtual gathering place where people can exchange ideas, view content, post photos and videos, and create groups. Thanks to the website's GreenNexxus caclulator, registrants can calculate the impact of their environmental good deeds.

According to an IT in Canada article, Trent University and Dalhousie University led the way in terms of most members and most acts of green, (other noteworthy educational establishments included Bishop Strachan School, Havergal College, Delta Secondary School, Acadia University). Airdrie was the city with the most Green acts (19,000 acts) followed by the Town of Okotoks and North Bay. Many of Canada’s leading corporations including BMO Financial Group, MTS Allstream and Fairmont Hotels & Resorts have joined OMAoG and are complementing the program with innovative employee engagement and customer-facing initiatives. OMAoG’s “greenest” provinces are Ontario, Alberta, British Columbia and Nova Scotia

Kirstine Layfield, executive director of programming for CBC Television said "I think we helped demonstrate with One Million Acts of Green in particular, the great results you can achieve by reaching out and engaging people.”

OMAoG has not only raised awareness it has reduced greenhouse gas emissions by 63,326,358 kg. With over one million acts of Green in four months, OMAoG is a shinning example of positive and timely environmental change. This is a tangible demonstration of what can be achieved when we work together as a human network.

Go to One One Million Acts of Green to log your Green acts, challenge your co-workers, friends and family to do the same.

Links/URLS:

OMAoG
OMAoG (French)
The Hour
OMAoG Previous releases
OMAoG Facebook group
OMAoG on Twitter

Video: OMAoG <here>
Video: First two months of OMAoG. <here>
Video: BMO Financial Group on OMAoG <here>.
Video: Cisco CEO on OMAoG and how the human network can change the world. <here>

GreenNexxus greenhouse gas calculator
Cisco Green