no pipeline, no tankers, no problem

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Fri, 2013-03-15 16:07

epaulo13

Red Lake Nation Tribal Members Blockade Enbridge Pipelines (video)

#RLblockade Nizhawendaamin Inaakiminaan (We Love Our Land) is a group of Red Lake Band of Chippewa Indians, joined by blockaders and solidarity activists. The encampment is located in Northern Minnesota near the town of Leonard. Tom Poorbear, vice president of the Ogalala Sioux Nation declared, "We fully support the Red Lake Nation and its members who are opposing the Enbridge pipeline to stop the flow and remove the illegal pipeline from their land." The occupation of the Red Lake Ceded Land began Thursday, February 28. Similar action camps around the United States have been fighting the fossil fuel industry to stop the destruction of sacred lands. Red Lake tribal members demand the immediate shutdown of the flow through the pipes and intend to remain on the land until their demand is met. "I imagine everyone involved in the planetwide resistance to fossil fuel is watching them with thanks," said Bill McKibben founder of 350.org and leader of the recent Forward on Climate Rally. Chief Bill Erasmus of the Dene First Nation stated, "We fully support and are inspired by the Red Lake members and their resistance as it is stated in the Mother Earth Accord; affirming our responsibility to protect and preserve for our descendents, the inherent sovereign rights of our indigenous nations, the rights of property owners, and all inherent human rights." Most band members were unaware of Enbridge's illegal activity until the encampment started. "When I was informed about the illegal trespassing of the company Enbridge on my homeland, I knew there was something I could do. I started calling as many Red Lakers as I could to try and make them aware," said Angie Palacio who initiated the encampment with the support of the Indigenous Environmental Network.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IAhOoG3MXt4&feature=player_embedded

Fri, 2013-03-15 16:30

#153

epaulo13

..very informative. mary is a survivor of a burnaby spill.

SOS - School Safety and Oil Pipelines (video)

Mary Hatch explains the problem of children and staff safety in schools located near or above oil and jet fuel pipelines or below tank farms. Mary is a former Burnaby, British Columbia school teacher who volunteers with BROKE - the Burnaby Residents Opposing Kinder Morgan Expansion. Kinder Morgan is a major oil pipeline company that also ships coal from North American ports. Kinder Morgan plans to almost triple its shipment of oil, including diluted bitumen, from the tar sands of Alberta to the Burrard Inlet where tankers will take it to Asia and elsewhere for processing and sale.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r1AQNs3w0go&feature=player_embedded

Sat, 2013-03-16 17:15

#154

epaulo13

The Un-Natural Gas Boom: Another Bridge to Nowhere

I’ll admit I wasn’t fully aware of the scale of the un-natural gas boom until I arrived at an indigenous-led blockade of seven proposed gas pipelines.

The Unist’ot’en camp was built in the path of the proposed Pacific Trails Pipelines by a group of grassroots Wet’suwet’en people who oppose the incursion onto their unceded territory. Coincidently, the same pipeline right-of-way was originally planned to be used for the Enbridge pipeline, that is until the Unist’ot’en built their clan cabin on the banks of the Wedzin Kwa (colonial name: Morice River).

In the short year that the cabin has stood, Enbridge and Pacific Trails Pipelines have both shifted their pipeline routes to avoid the cabin, and several more oil and gas companies have announced plans for pipelines to carry un-natural gas to the coast for export to Asia.

(I have learned from one of my hosts here that the term ‘natural gas’ is a complete misnomer. There is nothing natural about the process of forcing methane out of the earth with sand and toxic water.)

It was my opposition to the various tarsands pipeline proposals that made me pay attention to the resistance that the Unist’ot’en camp have been mounting, but now that I am here, living in the path of the pipelines with these inspiring people, I’ve come to understand that the threat posed by the gas pipelines is far larger than simply clearing ground for the Enbridge Gateway.

Each of these proposed pipelines are intended to carry gas from the fracking fields of north-eastern ‘BC’ to several proposed export terminals on the coast. (There is not yet an existing export industry. The majority of the current gas produced is consumed by tarsands operations). Most of this area lies within territory covered by the last of the numbered treaties – Treaty 8, one of the few areas of the province actually considered ‘ceded’ to ‘British Columbia’ (though the legitimacy of the numbered treaties is considered questionable as they may have been signed under coercion).

The gas industry estimates reserves of at least 200 trillion cubic feet of shale gas in the province. Investment has started to pour in from all corners of the globe, and new export terminal proposals seem to crop up every month or so. A variety of factors has led to this explosion of interest in gas exports, one of which is Japan’s decision to scale back on nuclear power. While countries like France and Bulgaria (and the state of New York) have decided to ban fracking, British Columbia has embraced it with open arms, passing rules to allow more intensive drilling, loosening environmental regulations and offering scores of incentives, including reduced royalties for deep drilling and credits for building roads and pipelines.

Without any real resistance from the opposition NDP, who refuse to take a stand against the LNG industry, the government of BC has made the extraction of shale gas it’s top economic priority. The impacts of this race to export gas to Asia have included treaty violations, poisoning of the air and water resulting in illness, increased carbon emissions, rapid depletion of the water table, displacement and harm to wildlife and a host of social issues that Dr. Eilish Cleary, Chief Medical Officer of New Brunswick has termed the ‘boomtown effect’....

https://bullsheet.wordpress.com/2013/03/15/the-un-natural-gas-boom-anoth...

Sat, 2013-03-16 17:37

#155

epaulo13

US regulator fines Kinder Morgan for breaking 27 safety rules

The U.S. federal Department of Transportation has fined Kinder Morgan nearly a million dollars in civil fines for breaking 27 U.S. pipeline safety rules.

The Houston-based firm, the continent’s third largest energy company, currently wants to triple the capacity of its Trans Mountain pipeline in a controversial bid to bring more Alberta bitumen to the port of Vancouver for export to China.

According to the Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration (PHMSA), the violations took place between 2007 and 2009 during the hectic construction of the Rockies Express pipeline.

The 42-inch diameter natural gas pipeline now pumps shale and tight gas from heavily drilled western landscapes to eastern consumers in the U.S.

Unlike PHMSA, the National Energy Board, Canada’s federal pipeline regulator, performs two conflicting roles: it approves new pipelines and regulates existing ones. PHMSA does not approve lines, it only monitors their technical safety and fines companies for breaking the law.

As one consequence of its dual mandate the NEB has no system for fining pipeline companies for violating Canadian laws. Since 1959, the agency has only shut down two pipelines.

Moreover the NEB, which has been operating since 1959, did not begin posting its safety and environmental actions until the fall of 2011.

Since 2008, the board says it has issued 24 safety orders against pipelines owned by Enbridge, TransCanada and Kinder Morgan for a variety of infractions. None of the companies were fined and most of the safety orders were not publicly available when issued.

http://thetyee.ca/Blogs/TheHook/2013/03/15/Kinder-Morgan-Fines/?utm_source=daily&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=16031

Sun, 2013-03-17 00:39

#156

epaulo13

Shale Gas Isn't Cleaner Than Coal, Cornell Researchers Say

Cornell University researchers say that natural gas pried from shale formations is dirtier than coal in the short term, rather than cleaner, and "comparable" in the long term.

That finding -- fiercely disputed by the gas industry -- undermines the widely stated belief that gas is twice as "clean" as coal in terms of greenhouse gas emissions. The gas industry has promoted that concept as a way for electric utilities to prepare for climate change regulations by switching from coal-fired plants to gas.

But if both gas and coal are considered plentiful and cheap, utilities would have little incentive to switch.

The lead author of the study, Robert Howarth, had previously stated the idea that shale gas production emits more greenhouse gases than coal production (ClimateWire, April 2, 2010). But now it is being published in a peer-reviewed scientific journal.

"Compared to coal, the footprint of shale gas is at least 20 percent greater and perhaps more than twice as great on the 20-year horizon and is comparable when compared over 100 years," states a pre-publication copy (pdf) of the study, which is slated to be published in the journal Climatic Science and originally obtained by The Hill newspaper....

https://www.nytimes.com/gwire/2011/04/11/11greenwire-shale-gas-isnt-clea...

Tue, 2013-03-19 23:55

#157

epaulo13

Chevron Pipeline Leaks 4,200-6,300 Gallons of Diesel in Utah: Media Report

(Reuters) - The Willard Bay State Park in Utah was closed after around 4,200 to 6,300 gallons (100-150 barrels) of diesel leaked from a Chevron Corp pipeline that runs just north of the park, the Salt Lake Tribune reported on its website on Tuesday.

The pipeline carries diesel from Chevron's Salt Lake refinery to Boise, Idaho, according to the article.

Chevron could not immediately be reached for comment.

The Tribune report said the company had dispatched more than 100 cleanup workers, who laid down absorbent booms to sop up the diesel.

https://www.nytimes.com/reuters/2013/03/19/us/19reuters-pipeline-operati...

.............

Diesel spill closes portions of Willard Bay State Park

Emergency responders on Tuesday flocked to Chevron’s third petroleum pipeline spill in Utah in less than three years.

Willard Bay State Park officials closed down the facility on the northeastern edge of the Great Salt Lake and evacuated two campers and the park manager’s family after around 4,200 to 6,300 gallons of diesel fuel leaked from the pipeline just north of the park. They also rescued two beavers from the contaminated area and sent one off-site for cleaning....

http://www.sltrib.com/sltrib/news/56030315-78/park-bay-wildlife-state.ht...

Wed, 2013-03-20 10:49

#158

epaulo13

Harper government in frenzy as doubts grow over Keystone XL pipeline

Stephen Harper's government and a big part of Canada's ruling establishment are in a frenzy over Keystone XL.

The Conservatives and their provincial allies have spent millions (probably tens of millions) of dollars in public money to push a pipeline that will export Canadian jobs, trample First Nations rights and, overall, be bad for the environment. But it'll be good for the profit margins of some of their oil industry friends.

In recent weeks, a half dozen Conservative ministers have trekked south to push for the approval of the pipeline while Harper has made it the top priority for Canada's embassy and 22 consular offices in the U.S for the last three years.

With a team at the Washington embassy devoted entirely to KXL, Canadian officials have presented at town council meetings, responded to critical press commentary, taken newspaper reporters to high-end restaurants and organized countless other activities in their zest for the pipeline. In a recent example of this diplomacy at work the Canadian consul general for the Pacific Northwest, Denis Stevens, spoke to Idaho's House and Senate saying that KXL "would allow you to free yourself completely from oil imports from Venezuela."...

http://rabble.ca/news/2013/03/harper-government-frenzy-opposition-keysto...

Thu, 2013-03-21 00:35

#159

epaulo13

Oil spill response ship runs aground en route to Vancouver news conference

File this under oops: The largest oil spill response ship along B.C.’s coast ran aground on its way to an appearance at a news conference in Vancouver on Monday.

According to Western Canada Marine Response, Burrard Cleaner No. 9 ran into a previously uncharged sandbar of Sand Heads.

A WCMR spokesperson said the incident caused no damage and was reported to Transport Canada.

The ship, with engines powered down, drifted off the sandbar within minutes.

Allan Hughes, of the Coast Guard’s marine communications union, said it’s “astonishing” that federal Natural Resources Minister Joe Oliver was touting the ability to deal with oil spills without noting how long it took for the best response boat to get to the area, Hughes said.

The trip across the Strait took just over seven hours, but WCMR stressed the ship was travelling at cruising speeds – much slower than in the case of an emergency.

There are three vessels capable of mopping up spills in and around the city’s harbours, but the Victoria ship is the most capable, Hughes added.

http://metronews.ca/news/vancouver/603659/oil-spill-response-ship-runs-a...

Thu, 2013-03-21 00:48

#160

epaulo13

Bicycle Brigade Raid On Portland’s Worst Polluters

Today’s Tar Sands Blockade solidarity action consisted of some 60 cyclists touring the offices and headquarters of Portland’s worst polluters. While often lauded by the likes of the New York Times as being a bastion of sustainability and forward thinking green politics, Portland houses some of the most ecologically destructive corporations on the planet.

The riders met at Holladay park adjacent to one of the busiest MAX stations in the city. Instructions were given on what the ride would look like, how to stay safe by corking intersections when necessary, and various other logistical details. Once all were comfortable, the music was kicked on and the armada of riders sailed out into the streets....

Click for a larger view

Fri, 2013-03-22 00:02

#161

epaulo13

Rising Tide- Vancouver, Coast Salish Territories is joining over 50 other grassroots groups taking action this week to Stop Tar Sands Profiteers.

This morning we dropped two banners off an overpass on Highway 1 to highlight the destructive practices of fossil fuel companies. One said “Stop Fracking Chevron” and the other “No Consent? No Pipelines.” Check out more photos on flickr: http://www.flickr.com/photos/risingtide604/8576938887/in/set-72157633054086938/

Pipeline plans are put in place by the corporations and their government cronies at the expense of peoples’ sovereignty and self-determination. Corporate control over community resources fuels the capitalist system which continues to attack both people and the planet. We reject capitalism, colonialism and imperialism, all neo-liberal trade agreements, institutions and governments that promote corporate globalisation. We aspire for fearless confrontation of injustice, selfless service to humanity, and compassionate alignment with local causes and global movements where community and collective organizing overcomes the domination of transnational capital.

We are inspired by the ongoing actions taken to directly confront pipeline expansion from those who have confronted the financiers of these dirty projects, such as those who locked themselves in a TD Bank in Washington, D.C. opposing the bank’s greenwashing, to the Tar Sands blockaders who have been standing in front of and chaining themselves to machinery or organizing tree sits in order to halt construction.

We are inspired by the Unist’ot’en clan of the Wet’suwet’en First Nation that have built a log cabin in the route of the proposed Pacific Trail fracking pipeline and for this reason we are organizing to oppose Chevron, a 50/50 partner in the pipeline, for this upcoming Global Day of Action against Chevron. This March 30th we will be joining the many voices opposing Chevron’s dangerous and exploitative tycoonery in a global day of action against the multinational corporation.

Join us Saturday, the 30th (hyperlink) at noon at the corner of Willingdon St. and Albert Street in Burnaby.

Burnaby Event Against Chevron: http://calamites.resist.ca/?p=402

Fri, 2013-03-22 00:10

#162

epaulo13

Basic Bike Maintenance Workshop: Unis'tot'en Fundraiser

Learn about bikes and fund a resistance blockade

7:00pm - 10:00pm
Sunday March 31 2013

Venue: Our Community Bikes

Address: 3283 Main Street

Cost: Sliding scale donation, $1-$100

Accessibility: Front door: width - 3'6", height 7'1" Passage to back room: width - 2'1", height - 6'7" Door to hallway: width - 2'6", height - 6'8" Backdoor: width - 2'7", height - 6'8" Bathrooms 1&2 doors: width - 2'4", height - 6'6" Our building is on the ground floor and there are no stairs to the main entrance or backdoor. The tightest spot is getting from the main space to the bathrooms which is only just over 2 feet wide, so we would suggest that folks go around the side of the building to access the facilities. We have 2 gender neutral bathrooms, one of which is fairly small and doesn't have a lot of room to maneuver. The other one is quite spacious and has a lot of room to move around in as well as a separate urinal & toilet. Unfortunately neither bathroom is equipped with handrails.

Fundraiser for the Unis'tot'en Resistance Community, taking place on unceded Coast Salish Territory:

Hosted by the Pedal Collective- learn the basics of keeping your bike up to snuff as the spring encroaches! Bring your own bike or practice on one of the ones in the shop!

This workshop can host a maximum 20 people so first come first serve!! Reserve a spot by emailing [email protected].

~@~

Towards a liberated earth where all bike shops are DIY and all of our innermost dreams can be fully realized in our day to day lives!

http://vancouver.mediacoop.ca/events/16835

Fri, 2013-03-22 03:28

#163

epaulo13

Wild Coast Caravan to Stop the Pipelines 2013

Forest Action Network is co-ordinating a caravan to Unist'ot'en territory to help construct pit houses in the path of oil and gas pipelines.

An opportunity to be part of an historic battle against big oil and gas corporations that have for too long been poisoning the air and water and violating indigenous soverienty.

For the past two years, grassroots members of the Wet'suwe'ten First Nation have been building a land reclamation project in the path of seven proposed oil and gas pipelines; an action that has been inspiring people all around the world. They've already refused access to pipeline workers, surveyors (see video above), and forest crews with plans to start work on the Pacific Trails Pipeline (which would bring gas from the fracking fields of the Horn River Basin). The intruders have been warned about trespassing on Unis'tot'en.

The Pacific Trails Pipeline is the first of seven proposed pipelines that would run through Unist'ot'en territory to the coast (including the Enbridge pipeline), and the Unist'ot'en are committed to stopping all of them.

We've just learned that the oil and gas companies are changing the pipeline route to get around the cabins we helped build last year. Toghestiy, a hereditary chief of the Likhts’amisyu Clan says their plan won't succeed because the Unis'tot'en and other clan leaders will block the new route as well.

The Unist'ot'en camp is planning to build traditional pit houses along the Wedzin Kwah (Morice River) on the new pipeline right-of-way, about a kilometer from the existing camp cabin.

Unist'ot'en led resistance to these pipelines is not being supported by big ENGOs and grantmakers. Their on-the-ground work has been wholely supported by individuals like you, and small groups like us, Forest Action Network.

In August 2012, Forest Action Network sponsored the first caravan to the Unis'tot'en Camp. We brought close to 100 volunteers and a couple tonnes of food and supplies to help build the cabins and outbuildings.

The Unist'ot'en camp has issued a call-out for volunteers to help construct pithouses and install interconnected permaculture gardens in their territory at their Spring Camp. The Spring Camp is for 3 weeks and the dates are May 6-24, 2013.

Forest Action Network is pledging shovels, saws, and food for the camp. We're also recruiting volunteers and permaculture experts.

We are raising funds for a caravan of volunteers and supplies, from Victoria, BC (occupied Coast Salish territories), up to the Unis'ot'en camp.

For more info and to volunteer: http://wildcoast.ca/caravan

Fri, 2013-03-22 14:23

#164

6079_Smith_W

Pipe Trouble:

http://boingboing.net/2013/03/22/canadian-pipeline-game-enr.html

From that promo it doesn't look like it breaks any of the game stereotypes, but it does look like it struck a nerve in a positive way.

Mon, 2013-03-25 01:33

#165

epaulo13

Have you heard the radio call from the Exxon Valdez?

24 years later and this still gives us a sinking feeling. This is the actual radio call from the Exxon Valdez to Coast Guard, reporting the oil spill.

Released on the 24th anniversary of the Exxon Valdez Oil Spill, this two-minute video reminds us of the dangers and costs that oil tankers and pipelines pose to our coastal waters.

Produced by the Coastal First Nations (http://www.coastalfirstnations.ca), the video opens with Exxon Valdez Captain Joe Hazelwood's radio call to Coast Guard, accompanied by The Sound of Silence, by Simon and Garfunkel. It concludes with a simple message: "Don't be silent. Vote for an oil-free coast."

Paul Simon's music label granted the rights to use the song for a small honorarium after the Coastal First Nations wrote to him personally, telling him about the Great Bear Rainforest and the danger that oil tankers pose to the coastal communities that live here.

Please share far and wide!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1XNwjdI5m_E

Tue, 2013-03-26 15:17

#166

epaulo13

Burnaby Residents Opposing Kinder Morgan Expansion (BROKE) is hosting a talk by economist

Robyn Allan

6:30 p.m Wednesday, March 27

Confederation Centre, 4585 Albert St, Burnaby

Allan will explain "why saying “no” to these pipelines not only benefits the growth and development of B.C.’s economy, but all of Canada—including Alberta."

Allan, an expert witness at the hearings into Enbridge's Northern Gateway pipeline proposal, will speak on the economics behind oil companies' energy strategy.

Both Northern Gateway and Kinder Morgan's proposed expansion of the Trans Mountain pipeline are aimed at supplying export markets with oil sands bitumen from Alberta.

"Until we have a sensible conversation as a country about how we best develop our oil resources in a socially, fiscally and environmentally responsible way for the benefit of all Canadians—and what that looks like in terms of pipeline capacity—we’re going to continue to be bombarded by these unnecessary oil pipeline proposals," said a BROKE press release.

Tue, 2013-03-26 18:20

#167

epaulo13

Stop Tar Sands Profiteers Week of Action a Huge Success with 55 Actions Across the Continent!

Over 50 grassroots organizations across the US and Canada held 50 actions from March 16th to March 23rd to demonstrate that TransCanada’s Keystone XL tar sands pipeline is a toxic investment.

Here’s an overview of what happened every day along with details at the bottom of this post:

March 16, 17: Week of Action Kicks Off With Creativity Across The Country
March 18: Blockades and Bikes From Coast to Coast
March 19: TD Bank Slammed as Tar Sands Profiteer
March 20: TransCanada Office Shut Down – Big Banks Called Out For Bankrolling Coal & KXL
March 21: Twenty Arrested at Two Separate KXL Protests in DC - Hundreds March with Idle No More in Seattle
March 22: Asheville Protesters Shut Down TD Bank, Four Arrested. Two arrested at TC office in Westborough
March 23: Over 60 People Blockade Chevron Tar Sands Refinery in Utah — NYC and DC Call Out TD Bank

Over 55 actions and events happened this week to directly confront the corporate profiteers bankrolling the Keystone XL pipeline and the broader tar sands industry. These actions come at a critical time as investor confidence in Alberta’s tar sands is waning due to major delays and resistance to Keystone XL’s construction timeline....

http://www.tarsandsblockade.org/weekofaction-main/

Wed, 2013-03-27 01:04

#168

epaulo13

Update: Tainted water poured from broken pipe for four hours at Suncor plant

EDMONTON - Contaminated water poured from a broken pipe at a Suncor oilsands plant for more than four hours Monday before crews were able to stem the flow.

Provincial investigators have not yet determined how much “process-affected” water escaped from the Fort McMurray plant or whether it flowed into the Athabasca River, but communities downstream have been warned.

Rush tests are underway to determine whether the water is toxic, but government officials said Tuesday the results will not be available for several days....

http://www.calgaryherald.com/business/energy-resources/Suncor+responding...

24 hrs after Suncor's tailing pipe burst, spilling toxic chemicals (several of which may be carcinogenic) for FOUR hours onto Alberta's landscape and waterways we still:
1) Don't have pictures of the event;
2) Don't know the chemicals that were released;
3) Don't know how much was released;
4) Don't know how the release was discovered; or
5) How close the release was to the Athabasca river

SUNCOR, Redford - time for some answers!!

Wed, 2013-03-27 01:07

#169

epaulo13

Mayor, MP no longer supporting Chevron at NEB hearings

Chevron Canada can no longer count on the support of Burnaby Mayor Derek Corrigan or Burnaby-Douglas NDP MP Kennedy Stewart at its National Energy Board (NEB) hearings this week.

The hearings are for Chevron's application for priority destination status on Kinder Morgan's Trans Mountain pipeline to ensure a steady supply of crude oil for its North Burnaby refinery. The company applied for the status last year in response to ongoing supply shortages due to it having to increasingly share capacity on the pipeline with other users.

But while both the mayor and MP are the only politicians granted intervenor status at the hearings, and both planned to speak on Chevron's behalf, neither now plan to attend.

That's because at recent NEB hearings for Kinder Morgan's commercial tolling application for a proposed expansion of the same pipeline, which runs between Edmonton and Burnaby, a Chevron representative indicated that company supports the pipeline twinning.

That was news to both politicians, who have been outspoken critics of the expansion proposal, which is geared towards exporting oil sands crude to overseas markets....

http://www.burnabynewsleader.com/news/200082731.html

Wed, 2013-03-27 21:59

#170

epaulo13

Powershift 2012_keynote presentation Naomi Klein.mp4

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=viyv2b7zpJ8

Thu, 2013-03-28 08:36

#171

epaulo13

Train hauling Canadian oil derails in Minnesota

A mile-long train hauling oil from Canada derailed and leaked 30,000 gallons of crude in western Minnesota on Wednesday, as debate rages over the environmental risks of transporting tar sands across the border.

The leak - the first major spill of the modern North American crude-by-rail transit boom - came when 14 cars on a 94-car Canadian Pacific train left the tracks about 150 miles north west of Minneapolis near the town of Parkers Prairie, the Otter Tail Sheriff's Department said....

http://uk.reuters.com/article/2013/03/27/us-oil-train-derailment-idUKBRE...

Thu, 2013-03-28 18:18

#172

epaulo13

..i couldn't make the talk by economist allan that took place in burnaby last night. that talk would have included the kinder morgan pipeline. i have, though, found a series videos of the talk she gave in prince george last october that reveal the utter fools we are being played for by our governments and oil companies. they can in no way be trusted to deal with this in an honest or safe manner. we must take hold of this issue in our own hands.

Robyn Allan on Enbridge's Northern Gateway

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Uzu05knxEmI&playnext=1&list=PLHsqdGtFSRg...

eta..another talk with different facts

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hekpzG0u_Vc

Thu, 2013-03-28 18:46

#173

epaulo13

..my bold

The following presentation was delivered by Robyn Allan, March 27, 2013 at the Confederation Centre in Burnaby at an event hosted by the Institute for the Humanities – SFU, the Environment Committee of the Unitarian Church of Vancouver, ForestEthics Advocacy and BROKE

The Economics of Oil Pipelines and Supertankers

Good evening.

Thank-you Councillor Thomas for the lovely greeting.

I would also like to thank the sponsors of tonight’s event including the Burnaby Residents Opposed to Kinder Morgan’s Expansion, the Environment Committee of the Unitarian Church of Vancouver, Simon Fraser University Institute for the Humanities and Forest Ethics Advocacy for inviting me to speak to you about the Economics of Oil Pipelines and Supertankers.

First, let me be clear.

The debate about oil pipelines and supertankers is not about economic benefit stacked against environmental cost to see if the risk is worth it.

That’s a false dichotomy. It’s developed by oil interests to pit ordinary Canadians against ordinary Canadians.

They hope our fear of economic loss if we don’t approve these pipelines, is greater than our fear of environmental harm if we do....

http://www.robynallan.com/2013/03/28/the-economics-of-oil-pipelines-and-...

Sat, 2013-03-30 11:24

#174

epaulo13

update:

Suncor Toxic Spill: A ten hour disaster

Yesterday night Suncor admitted that for 10-hrs on Monday, March 25th its pipe gushed, releasing toxic, chemically treated water into the environment and the Athabasca river, the drinking water supply for countless animals, birds and human populations like the downstream community of Fort Chipewyan, Alberta.

10-hours.

I want you to think about that for a minute.

In 10-hrs you could watch the entire Lord of the Rings trilogy, walk out and still see the pipe spewing.

In 10-hrs you could watch 3 hockey games two of which went to overtime.

In 10-hrs you could fly from Edmonton to Toronto and back again.

10-hrs is a long time. It’s especially a long time if we are talking about a spill of water filled with toxic chemicals and especially if it’s your drinking water we’re talking about....

http://www.greenpeace.org/canada/en/Blog/suncor-toxic-spill-a-ten-hour-d...

Sat, 2013-03-30 23:55

#175

epaulo13

..pics

BURNABY - There were no tanker trucks rolling in or out of the North Burnaby Chevron Refinery Saturday afternoon. The roads were blocked by anti-pipeline activiists holding a 'climate crime circus' as part of a global day of action against Chevron. At issue is Chevron's particiation in the Pacific Trail Pipeline and the destructive gas fracking it proposes using to supply the pipeline to the coast.

Unis'tot'en Clan representaives from the proposed route of the pipeline were on hand to pledge continued resistance. Clan spokesperson Freda Husan told the crowd, "We will resist all of their plans. We will act to protect our lands, the increasingly unstable climate and to do what is best for future generations."

The circus was hosted by Rising Tide, Coast Salish Territories, and featured the Carnival Band.

http://vancouver.mediacoop.ca/photo/truck-stop-circus-rings-chevron-refi...

Mon, 2013-04-01 02:48

#176

NDPP

Total Dumps Canadian Oil Sands Project For $1.65 Bn Loss

http://oilprice.com/Energy/Energy-General/Total-Dumps-Canadian-Oil-Sands...

"...The project is beleagured by increasing labor costs, a shortage of labor and the falling prices of Canadian heavy crude against rising US oil production. Profit margins have narrowed to the extent that the project is no longer viable.

Not only does the Total divestiture raise questions about the long-term viability of Canadian oil sands investments, it also raises questions about whether the controversial Keystone XL pipeline project is really in the US interest - at a time when US oil output is rising as Canada's oil sands are becoming less strategically advantageous..."

Tue, 2013-04-02 11:16

#177

NDPP

TransCanada Pressing Ahead With West-East Oil Pipeline Project (and vid)

http://www.ctvnews.ca/business/transcanada-pressing-ahead-with-west-east...

"...And NDP Leader Thomas Mulcair who vehemently opposes the proposed Northern Gateway pipeline that would transport bitumen south from Alberta, has expressed his support for construction of the West-East pipeline in Canada..."

Tue, 2013-04-02 17:09

#178

epaulo13

Shale gas protesters picket PC campaign rally

About 50 people blocked the entrance to a Tory campaign rally in Bouctouche Monday afternoon, demanding that the premier address their concerns about shale gas exploration.

The campaign rally was for Jimmy Bourque, the Progressive Conservative candidate in the Kent byelection.

Instead of cheering for Bourque, protesters yelled “we don’t want shale gas”, said the CBC’s Jennifer Choi.

The group confronted Premier David Alward with their concerns as he arrived at the event. They then peacefully followed him into the building.

Wearing large signs, they asked the premier to ban shale gas exploration. They voiced concerns about the long term impact on their water quality, said Choi.

Alward replied by telling the protesters that New Brunswick is about to enact some of the most strict fracking environmental laws in the world.

Some of the protesters were from the Elsipogtog First Nation, and they also said they wanted the government to pay more attention to the Idle No More movement.

The Kent byelection is scheduled for April 15. Along with Jimmy Borque, Liberal Leader Brian Gallant, the NDP’s Susan Levi-Peters and Allison Fanjoy of the People's Alliance will have their names on the ballot.

The Green Party announced on the weekend it would not have a candidate in this race.

http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/new-brunswick/story/2013/04/01/nb-campaign...

A group of protesters gathered outside a campaign rally for Jimmy Bourque.

Wed, 2013-04-03 02:41

#179

NDPP

MP Peter Julian: NDP Supports West-East Pipeline (and vid)

http://www.ctvnews.ca/video?clipId=896984&playlistId=1.1221399&binId=1.8...

Wed, 2013-04-03 17:26

#180

epaulo13

Sun, 2013-04-07 17:21

#181

epaulo13

Energy board changes pipeline complaint rules

Canadians who want to tell the National Energy Board what they think about proposed pipeline projects – either in person or in writing – must now complete a 10-page application form proving they would be directly affected by the development or that they have relevant expertise.

The new rules the NEB unveiled on Friday stem from provisions in omnibus budget legislation drafted by Prime Minister Stephen Harper’s government and passed into law last year. Environmental groups say they are the Conservatives’ response to the thousands of people who indicated an interest in voicing opposition to Enbridge Inc.’s proposed Northern Gateway pipeline.

The first test of the new procedure for applying to have a say in a pipeline development is being conducted in Ontario, where the NEB is assessing the environmental and economic effects of Enbridge’s plan to reverse its Line 9 to bring 300,000 barrels a day of heavy crude from Sarnia to Montreal....

http://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/national/energy-board-changes-pipeli...

Mon, 2013-04-08 17:11

#182

mmphosis

Oil spills in Minnesota and Arkansas (wsws.org)

Minnesota Oil Spill: Canadian Train Derails, Spilling 30,000 Gallons Of Crude In U.S. (huffingtonpost.com)

Oil from Exxon spill in Arkansas flowing into wetlands (rt.com)

Dispatches From Exxon’s Spill Zone, Days 3 and 4 (tarsandsblockade.org)

Mon, 2013-04-08 22:14

#183

epaulo13

KInder Morgan's oil pipeline

KInder Morgan's oil pipeline, gas pipeline and jet fuel pipeline all within meters of the Stoney Creek Elementary School

http://www.burnabypipelinewatch.ca/content/kinder-morgans-oil-pipeline

Tue, 2013-04-09 19:57

#184

epaulo13

Tue, 2013-04-09 20:12

#185

epaulo13

Oklahoma Grandmother Locks Herself to Keystone XL Heavy Machinery — Halts Construction

April 9, 2013 by Great Plains Tar Sands Resistance

ALLEN, OK – Tuesday, April 9, 2013, 9:00 AM – Oklahoma grandmother Nancy Zorn, 79, from Warr Acres, has locked herself to a piece of heavy machinery effectively halting construction on TransCanada’s Keystone XL toxic tar sands pipeline. This action comes in the wake of the disastrous tar sands pipeline spill in Mayflower Arkansas, where an estimated 80,000 gallons of tar sands spilled into a residential neighborhood and local waterways.....

Wed, 2013-04-10 11:15

#186

NDPP

NDPP wrote:

MP Peter Julian: NDP Supports West-East Pipeline (and vid)

http://www.ctvnews.ca/video?clipId=896984&playlistId=1.1221399&binId=1.8...

OpED: Pipelines Won't Solve Our Problem - by Gordon Laxer

http://www.edmontonjournal.com/business/OpEd+Pipelines+solve+problems/82...

"...Canada is in the absurd position of promising the US oil security through the export of oil from Alberta, while Canada itself is the most oil insecure country in the global north.

Instead of supplying domestic, conventional oil to eastern Canadians as part of a national eco-energy plan to transition Canada off fossil fuel, this is just another oilsands exports plan.

Canadians in every province should demand that their provincial governments, say 'no pasaran'. 'We will not allow oilsands oil to pass through our province.'

Thu, 2013-04-11 19:52

#187

epaulo13

From the Unist'ot'en Camp

This morning two water sampling surveyors got dropped off about 500 meters upstream from the camp by this chopper. It landed at the proposed right of way crossing for the Pacific Trails pipeline. A couple of defenders went to the bridge, took this photograph and yelled at them to leave immediately. The surveyors dawned their surveyor vests and started walking in the opposite direction and ignored the defenders. The defenders then put on snowshoes and began trekking through the bush to the chopper. As the defenders got about 200 meters away the chopper started up and landed about another 500 meters upstream at the proposed right of way crossing for the Coastal Gas Link pipeline. The defenders started hiking to the new landing area and were unable to catch up to the tresspassers. They took off from the new landing site without incident... it appears industry is employing a new tactic which gets workers into and out of areas quickly to avoid the camp defenders. Our tactics will change accordingly...

Fri, 2013-04-12 00:38

#188

epaulo13

Woman arrested after hours-long protest of Enbridge oil pipeline

BEMIDJI – An act of civil disobedience over oil pipelines on the Red Lake Indian Reservation ended with a moment of civility Wednesday.

Angie Palacio, after being handcuffed to the front door of Enbridge Energy, 1129 Industrial Drive SE, removed the cuffs just after 4:30 p.m. Wednesday. She then walked, with wrists free, to a waiting Bemidji police car.

“They had a point to make, and they have a right to protest,” said Sgt. Dave Hanson.

Palacio, 35, of Bemidji was one of more than two dozen protestors at Enbridge’s Bemidji facility. At issue are four oil pipelines that run under a few acres of Red Lake land. But the sovereignty of the reservation’s boundaries is just the beginning, according to Marty Cobenais, a Red Lake Nation member....

http://www.bemidjipioneer.com/content/woman-arrested-after-hours-long-pr...

Fri, 2013-04-12 09:35

#189

NDPP

Keystone XL: The Art of NGO Discourse - by Cory Morningstar

http://www.counterpunch.org/2013/04/12/keystone-xl-the-art-of-ngo-discou...

"Fait accomplit: 'An accomplished fact; an action which is completed before those affected by it are in a position to query or reverse it.'

Hence, they wittingly draw your attention to a pipeline the industry doesn't need..."

Fri, 2013-04-12 15:13

#190

epaulo13

Click for a larger view
Block The Gateway

Where we are coming from:

We are working on the basis that resource extraction is destroying the land and the ability of both ourselves and future generations to live. That this way of relating to the land is rooted in settler colonialism and the myths of the state and capitalist economy. We believe it is essential for effective resistance and the creation of future relationships with land and people to understand our resistance not simply in the context of protecting the envioronement, but in an interconnected way that centers Indigenous Sovereignty over unceded territories.....

Teach-In April 28th on Lekwungen and Wsanec Territories:

A collective of organizers are working with the VIPIRG working group No Pipelines! on an all-day decolonization Teach-In. This Teach In is intended to prepare and strategize settler resistance to colonialism from “right here, right now” with the Lekwungen and Wsanec territories, to the Unis’tot’en resistance against pipeline construction and resource extraction on Wet’suwe’ten territories.

On April 28th Hereditary Chief Toghestiy of the Likhsts’amisyu Clan, Unis’tot’en Spokesperson Freda Huson, and Warrior and Teacher Mel Bazil of the Gitimt’en Clan will be joining us for this event and will share with us their stories of resistance and resilience.

Ultimately we seek to increase the capacity of settler organizers and local First Nations to work together on regional issues, as well as to support the Unis’tot’en and other. We hope to enable critical networking across these communities, which may establish stronger, trust based relationships. We hope that by organizing this teach in, we are also taking critical step towards accountable organizing....

https://blockthegateway.wordpress.com/?blogsub=confirming#subscribe-blog

Fri, 2013-04-12 18:00

#191

mmphosis

Exxon Oil Pipeline Breaks on Blackfeet Reservation In Montana - Media Silent ! (youtube.com)

13 Spills. 30 Days. Nearly 1.2 Million Toxic Gallons. (tcktcktck.org)

Sun, 2013-04-14 18:51

#192

NDPP

The Secret of the Seven Sisters (and vid)

http://www.aljazeera.com/programmes/specialseries/2013/04/20134410523148...

"A four-part series that reveals how a secret pact formed a cartel that controls the world's oil..."

Sat, 2013-04-27 01:24

#193

NDPP

Alberta Exploring At Least Two Oil Pipeline Projects to North

http://business.financialpost.com/2013/04/25/alberta-nwt-oil-pipeline/

"Hemmed in by unco-operative jurisdictions to the south, west and east, Alberta is looking upwards, exploring at least two northern projects that would help the province get its oil to tidewater, making it available for export to overseas markets. The Alberta government says it is in 'serious talks' with the NWT to build an oil pipeline connecting the oil sands to the northern hamlet of Tuktoyaktuk, near the Beaufort Sea..."

Sun, 2013-05-05 23:49

#194

epaulo13

RISING TIDE MEMBERS TO EMBARK ON FRACKING TOUR OF NORTHERN BC TO UNCOVER TRUE COSTS OF LNG

Members of the Rising Tide activist collective are departing Vancouver, on a tour of northern BC to expose the true costs of fracking and support frontline community resistance to pipeline expansion in rural areas.

The 8 day tour will visit communities that have invited Rising Tide to share and gather information, opinions, and stories about fracking. These include Kamloops, Prince George, Smithers, Moricetown and the Unis'tot'en camp of the Wet'suwet'en Nation, Burns Lake, Fort. St. John, and Fort Nelson.

Fracking is short for Hydraulic Fracturing, a non conventional technique used for extracting natural gas from shale rock by drilling down into the ground and then injecting sand, chemicals, and millions of gallons of water at high pressures in order to crack open the rock and draw out the gas. Along with causing problems locally – most notably the use and toxic contamination of vast amounts of surface and ground water and an increase in localized earthquakes - fracking also has negative global impacts. Fracking results in significant methane leakage, a greenhouse gas 105 times more potent than CO2 over 20 years. A recent Cornell University study reported fracked gas to be “worse than coal” for climate stability.

During the tour Rising Tide members will report back regarding the struggles communities face dealing with energy corporations, and offering support to frontline communities dealing with fracking and pipeline expansion. To stay up to date with stories and interviews from the trip, follow twitter and the Rising Tide website: www.risingtide604.ca

May 8th - Kamloops
May 10th - Moricetown - Unis'tot'en camp
May 11th - Smithers - Old Church - Community Dinner/Meeting
May 12th - Burns Lake - Afternoon
May 13th - Fort. St. John
May 14th - Fort Nelson

More information: www.risingtide604

Tue, 2013-05-07 09:00

#195

epaulo13

Enbridge pipeline protesters close Ontario highway

A highway near Hamilton, Ont., was blockaded for almost 90 minutes Monday morning as a group stopped traffic to protest Enbridge's plan to reverse the flow of its pipeline that cuts through a rural area of Hamilton.

About 40 protesters staged a mock oil spill and cleanup on Highway 6 near Concession Road 6 to express their concerns about the pipeline. Six Ontario Provincial Police cruisers and two Hamilton police cruisers arrived at the scene shortly after the protest started at around 11 a.m. Police let some cars through after about half an hour. The road reopened around 12:30 p.m....

http://www.cbc.ca/hamilton/news/story/2013/05/06/hamilton-enbridge-line-...

Tue, 2013-05-07 20:01

#196

mmphosis

Just the Beginning of Canada’s Filthy Tar Sands (counterpunch.org)

<em><strong>Macdonald Stainsby</strong></em> wrote:
Climate activists are in a bind; stopping a pipeline filled with tar sands bitumen from being constructed is important politically, to establish that such things can indeed, be stopped. However, the mines still operate 24/7 and continue to heat up the atmosphere and become more financially efficient doing so. Fighting the Gigaproject from expanding is not wrong, but insufficient.

www.tarsandsworld.com

Wed, 2013-05-08 22:56

#197

epaulo13

The Emperor Has No Clothes (Obviously)

Thu, 2013-05-09 15:00

#198

epaulo13

Click for a larger view

Thu, 2013-05-09 15:08

#199

epaulo13

Unist'ot'en Camp

Well today we managed to get the pithouse area cleared of trees and shrubs, trenches and then dug down to 1 foot before being called to the boundary of the yintah to meet some RCMP officers. They refused to get out of their unmarked suburban for about 15 minutes to answer some questions on the bridge. The insisted that they be allowed to simply drive into the area uninterrupted. When two of them finally got out they said they were here to make sure that we were not blocking a "public" road. We informed them that their own laws permit us to do what we are doing and that we have a lot of case laws supporting what we are doing. These lands are unceded, meaning they still belong to our people. They had 2 officers who refused to get out of the suburban and one was videoing the whole interaction and told our videographer to quit filming. We told them to quit filming us first. After a long discussion about our rights and responsibilities they got into their vehicle and left. This is the first time RCMP from the Prince George Regional Special Investigations Unit showed up to our blockades. They were disrespectful, arrogant, and rude. They were told we will not allow them onto the lands because they did not pass the protocol.

Fri, 2013-05-10 13:27

#200

epaulo13

Norway, Canada, the United States and the Tar Sands

Today 36 Norwegian organizations sent an open letter to Prime Minister Stoltenberg expressing opposition to development of Canadian tar sands by Statoil (the Norwegian state is majority shareholder of Statoil). Signatories include not only environmental organizations, but a broad public spectrum, including, appropriately, many youth organizations. It is encouraging that Norwegian youth press their government to stop supporting tar A tar sands tailings pond in Alberta, Canada. (Photo: NWFblogs/ Flickr)sands development, given the fact that Norway saves much of its oil earnings for future generations and given the fact that Norway is not likely among the nations that will suffer most from climate change....

https://www.commondreams.org/view/2013/05/10-1

Fri, 2013-05-10 15:43

#201

epaulo13

MEDIA RELEASE
For Immediate Release
May 6, 2013

EU-Canada trade agreement threatens fracking bans

Note: CETA negotiations continue in Brussels today (May 6) through at least Wednesday.

Amsterdam/Brussels/Ottawa – The proposed Comprehensive Economic and Trade Agreement (CETA) between the European Union (EU) and Canada would grant energy companies far-reaching rights to challenge bans and regulations of environmentally damaging shale gas development (fracking), a new briefing by Corporate Europe Observatory, The Council of Canadians and the Transnational Institute shows....

http://canadians.org/media/trade/2013/06-May-13.html

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