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Greenpeace shuts down Suncor
By Alan Septoff
Wednesday, September 30, 2009
Suncor’s operations north of Fort McMurray, Alberta.
Credit: Greenpeace
We have word from Greepeace Canada that 10 activists have successfully shut down two bitumen conveyor belts at Suncor’s massive tar sands facility north of Fort McMurray, Alberta.
Suncor is a massive, iconic tar sands facility right on the banks of the Athabasca river.
In addition to the two conveyors being occupied by the activists, all the other conveyors within view have been shut down, creating a major interruption in work at the facility.
According the Greenpeace press release:
The action today also highlights how the tar sands not only cause climate disaster and wanton destruction, but are also poisoning the Athabasca, a Canadian heritage river, and threatening people whose lives and livelihoods depend on it.
“Greenhouse gas emissions are just one element of the crimes happening in the tar sands,” said Greenpeace climate and energy campaigner Mike Hudema. “Around 11 million litres of toxic chemicals, including carcinogens and other deadly poisons are leaking into groundwater and the Athabasca and poisoning entire communities. Their food is contaminated, their water unsafe to swim in, let alone drink. This is not what the world expects from Canada, but it’s the grim reality.”
In December, the world has an historic opportunity to step back from the brink of catastrophic climate change. At the UN Climate Summit in Copenhagen, world leaders must agree to urgent measures to save the climate. The continued development of the tar sands threatens to derail international climate action.
Tagged with: suncor, greenpeace canada, fort mcmurray
