Env. groups urge Pelosi to take stand on tar sands oil

A coalition of environmental groups sent a letter this week encouraging Rep. Nancy Pelosi, Speaker of the U.S. House of Representatives, and Rep. Edward Markey, chairman of the Select Committee on Energy Independence and Global Warming, to take a stand against the expanded use of tar sands oil for energy production during their upcoming visit to Ottawa, Canada this week. The letter says, in part:

As you prepare for your visit, the undersigned groups from both Canada and the United States would like to highlight our concern with the very serious consequences of reliance on Canadian tar sands oil. Such reliance is an obstacle to developing clean and sustainable energy systems in our countries. Our groups are particularly concerned with the proposal by the Canadian company TransCanada to build the Keystone XL tar sands oil pipeline from Alberta to Texas. We are opposed to the building of this pipeline, as it would lock us into decades of consumption of one of the most environmentally destructive forms of oil in the world and would undermine the U.S. transition to a new energy economy.

The process for extracting and upgrading bitumen from the tar sands generates over three times as much greenhouse gas pollution as the production of conventional oil. On a well to wheels basis, that translates into a 10-30% increase in greenhouse gas emissions per barrel. To date, Canada has presented no action plan to achieve its internationally agreed upon emissions reductions. Tar sands oil is the fastest growing source of greenhouse gases (GHGs) in Canada and a primary production depletes fresh water in Alberta, destroys boreal forests and wetlands, and threatens millions of migratory birds. A recent scientific study confirmed that tar sands development is polluting the Athabasca River watershed. First Nation communities downstream of tar sands development are concerned about unusually high rates of cancer and the violation of land and treaty rights.

Currently, the tar sands industry plans a massive expansion. The Keystone XL pipeline would hasten that expansion, which is incompatible with strong action on climate change.

The Keystone XL pipeline has become a matter of controversy, particularly after the recent spill of the same kind of oil from a pipeline in Calhoun county. The Messenger has previously reported about the many ways that tar sands crude is more damaging than regular crude oil.

Among the groups signing this letter are the National Wildlife Federation, the Natural Resources Defense Council and the Sierra Club.