Dirty Oilsands - A threat to the new energy economy

Don’t Support Dirty Fuels: Oil shale and tar sands are not America’s energy answer

By: Natural Resources Defense Council

Published: February 2009

Facts about tar sands, oil shale, and liquid coal.

Tagged with: natural resources defense council, tar sands, liquid coal, oil shale

11 Million Litres a Day – The Tar Sands’ Leaking Legacy

By: Environmental Defence Canada

Published: December 2008

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

Tagged with: tailings, leakage

La Fievre des Sables Bitumineux

By: Pembina Institute

Published: November 2008

Tagged with: pembina institute

Making it Real Checklist – Implementing Alberta’s Land-use Framework

By: Canadian Parks and Wilderness Society, Pembina Foundation

Published: October 2008

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.

Tagged with: pembina institute, alberta land-use framework, canadian parks and wilderness society

Danger in the Nursery: Impact on Birds of Tar Sands Oil Development in Canada’s Boreal Forest

By: Boreal Song Bird Initiative, Natural Resources Defense Council

Published: October 2008

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.

Tagged with: natural resources defense council, boreal forest, boreal songbird initiative, songbird

Map of tar sands oil refineries and pipelines in the United States

By: EARTHWORKS

Published: August 2008

Tagged with: earthworks, oil refinery, no dirty energy

Upgrader Alley: oil sands fever strikes Edmonton

By: Pembina Institute

Published: June 2008

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

Tagged with: pembina institute, edmonton, upgrader alley

Catching Up: Conservation and Biodiversity Offsets in Alberta’s Boreal Forest

By: Canadian Boreal Initiative, PEMBINA Institue, Alberta Research Council

Published: June 2008

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.

Tagged with: first nations, pembina institute, boreal forest, biodiversity, alberta research council, the boreal initiative

Fact or Fiction: Oil Sands Reclamation

By: Pembina Institute

Published: May 2008

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.

Tagged with: alberta, pembina institute, tailings

Canada’s Toxic Tar Sands: The Most Destructive Project on Earth

By: Environmental Defence Canada

Published: February 2008

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.

Tagged with: alberta, public health, environmental health, dirty energy