Duck disaster may galvanise world wide opposition to Alberta oil sands
Thu, 2008-05-01 06:33
#1
Boom Boom
Duck disaster may galvanise world wide opposition to Alberta oil sands
Thu, 2008-05-01 06:33
#2
Boom Boom
[url=http://ca.news.yahoo.com/s/capress/080430/national/alta_oilsands_ducks]Only five ducks saved from Syncrude tailings pond, 500 perish in oilsands wastes [/url]
excerpt:
EDMONTON - Five hundred dead ducks in the toxic sludge of a Syncrude Canada Ltd. tailings pond have dealt a major blow to Alberta's $25-million campaign to sell the booming oilsands as eco-friendly.
Company and government officials confirmed Wednesday that only five ducks were saved after a flock of mallards landed Monday morning on the partially frozen pond filled with oilsands wastes.
Three of the birds were flown on Syncrude's corporate jet from Fort McMurray to a wildlife rehabilitation centre in Edmonton. There's no word on whether they are expected to recover.
Environment Minister Rob Renner concedes the incident has put a major dent in Alberta's efforts to counter the message being spread by environment groups that the massive northern oilsands projects are taking a major toll on the environment.
excerpt:
The oilsands sit along a major flyway for migrating waterfowl, so the province requires that all tailings ponds have noise-making devices to scare the birds and prevent them from landing.
There are 13 propane-powered cannons surrounding the pond where the ducks landed, but Syncrude spokesman Alain Moore says a recent snowstorm delayed the devices from being deployed.
"We had a rapid spring thaw on the weekend and we were beginning to deploy (the cannons), but that's when we came across the tragic occurrence of these ducks landing."
excerpt:
Syncrude and Ed Stelmach's Conservative government say this is the first time in the 30-year history of Alberta's major oilsands projects that an incident of this magnitude has been recorded. Government reports show that usually fewer than two dozen waterfowl are killed annually on the various tailings ponds.
Cabinet ministers say the government investigation will focus on why Syncrude didn't move more quickly to deploy the cannons. The province is already threatening to lay charges that carry fines of up to $1 million.
excerpt:
But Morton says there are environmental costs related to Alberta producing the bulk of Canada's energy reserves.
"That obviously has an impact on the environment," he said in an interview. [b]"But if you compare our record to ... the middle East or the U.S., we look pretty darn good." [/b] [img]rolleyes.gif" border="0[/img] [img]eek.gif" border="0[/img] [img]mad.gif" border="0[/img]
excerpt:
[b]The province recently set aside millions to dispel what the premier describes as the "myth" being spread by Greenpeace and the Sierra Club that the oilsands are an environmental disaster. [/b] [img]eek.gif" border="0[/img] [img]mad.gif" border="0[/img]
excerpt:
Liberal Leader Kevin Taft says this is a huge blow to attempts by Stelmach's government to convince the world that the oilsands are not a source of so-called dirty oil.
"Compared to the government's $25-million publicity campaign, one picture of an oily duck is priceless," said Taft.
Thu, 2008-05-01 11:23
#3
Horrible and disgustingly sad story. Thanks for posting this. It was on the news a day or two ago.
There is something wrong with Alberta.
Thu, 2008-05-01 11:29
#4
quote:
Originally posted by Stargazer:
[b]There is something wrong with Alberta.[/b]
Really? The whole province? All the people in it?
if answer = 'Y' then ?'GFYS'
else ?'Resorting to hyperbole?'
Thu, 2008-05-01 11:33
#5
Yep. Most of the province. I really don't care if that gets anyone's back up. In Toronto we are knocked down continuously and I don't take it personally.
Horrible government, shitty work laws, nasty nasty environmental practises (which damage the reputation of Canada and helps destroy the earth). Did I mention the fact that it has been run by right wing zealots for a hell of a long time? Terrible treatment of Native peoples and rampant racism against same.
Yes, a crappy place to live - for me anyways.
Thu, 2008-05-01 13:27
#6
Polly B
quote:
Originally posted by Stargazer:
[b]
There is something wrong with Alberta.[/b]
There is definitely something wrong at Syncrude, and more than that in the oil sands and the current government, but a big swipe like that tends to paint all Albertans (who might be nice environmentally friendly vegan NDP'ers who have never ever voted for the conservatives ever in their life and who are just as disgusted by some of the things going on in this - and many other - provinces) with the same brush.
And that's not good for discussion.
Thu, 2008-05-01 13:43
#7
To all the vegan NDP voting Albertans, I apologize. Conservative dimwits, get no apology...
Thu, 2008-05-01 13:54
#8
Well, now that you're making this personal.....
Thu, 2008-05-01 14:40
#9
Yes I know...GFYS. You know, it took me awhile to figure out what that acronym stood for. Doh!
Thu, 2008-05-01 14:51
#10
Those conservative Albertans would sell their mothers for a bit o' copper
Thu, 2008-05-01 15:36
#11
In my experience, you don't bring people over to your side by lambasting them.
Thu, 2008-05-01 15:37
#12
TemporalHominid
quote:
Originally posted by Fidel:
[b]Those conservative Albertans would sell their mothers for a bit o' copper[/b]
is copper up?
...maybe mom is going on a little vacation
"Hey, Mom!"....
Thu, 2008-05-01 16:28
#13
Boom Boom
Meanwhile, back to the thread topic... [img]smile.gif" border="0[/img]
[url=http://www.cbc.ca/canada/edmonton/story/2008/05/01/ducks-thursfollo.html... promises to investigate dead ducks in northern Alberta[/url]
[b]Incident raising concerns for people who live in Alberta's northeast[/b]
excerpt:
Harper also said the incident, which has been widely reported, will "no doubt" hurt Canada's reputation.
(no shit, Sherlock? [img]biggrin.gif" border="0[/img] )
excerpt:
Questions are also being raised about oil companies' environmental practices in Fort Chipewyan, which is on the ducks' migratory route and about 270 kilometres downstream from Fort McMurray along the Athabasca River.
First Nations people in Fort Chipewyan have worried for years about the impact of the upstream oilsands development on the health of their wildlife and water supply.
excerpt:
The dead ducks are not the only environmental emergency officials were dealing with Thursday.
Late Wednesday they were notified of a pipeline rupture that spewed more than a hundred barrels of oil into the Otauwau River near Smith, Alta., about 200 kilometres north of Edmonton.
Fri, 2008-05-02 19:20
#14
Boom Boom
Interesting discussion on this topic (and many links) in this [url=http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=10765181991]Facebook[/url] group.
Sat, 2008-05-03 16:05
#15
M. Spector
quote:
The incident, according to one expert, has also played a part in temporarily derailing a $25-million, three-year public relations campaign the Alberta government recently launched to "brand" Alberta and persuade domestic and international critics that production in the province's oil sands is environmentally friendly."No one likes to see oil-soaked ducks or birds on the front page of the paper; not people who love animals, not the people who own the company that's responsible. It's a no-win situation," said Joseph Doucet, a professor of business and energy policy at the University of Alberta.
"I certainly think this is going to make it difficult for the producers and the provincial and the Canadian government to market Canada as both an energy producer and relatively environmentally friendly."
In a public statement, Syncrude president and CEO Tom Katinas said the company is investigating the factors that led to the ducks' deaths, and offered a "heartfelt and sincere apology." [b]A spokesman for Syncrude did not return a call seeking comment.[/b]
[url=http://www.theglobeandmail.com/servlet/story/LAC.20080503.DUCKS03//TPSto...
Prime Minister Stephen Harper this week called Monday's deaths "a terrible tragedy" that has marred Canada's image around the world.