The Spread of Oil Sands
Graphic: EARTHWORKS
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Not just a Canadian problem
Mined in northeastern Alberta, the dirtiest oil on earth is piped to, refined in, and consumed in the United States in increasing quantities. If Big Oil has its way, dirty oil sands (a.k.a tar sands) will spread throughout the United States. Unless a different choice is made.
As the adjacent map and movie below show, if current plans hold, more than 33 current, expanded, and proposed refineries around the United States will process tar sands oil in the US.
Secretary Clinton’s choice whether to permit the Alberta Clipper pipeline is just one (very important) piece of a larger oil sands infrastructure Big Oil is trying to create. And in so doing prevent a shift to a new, clean energy economy — and the new jobs that economy would create.
Dirty oil sands pollutes more than conventional oil
The spread of refineries processing tar sands oil is a problem because the synthetic heavy crude produced from tar sands is laden with more toxics than conventional oil. Communities adjacent to tar sands oil refineries face increased carbon dioxide emissions, and increased exposure to heavy metals, and sulfurs.
The Spread of Oil Sands - Video
