E-Sierran!
michael matthys
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The Brief Greetings Sierrans! I hope this newsletter finds you healthy, and enjoying the summer.
Protests against the Keystone pipeline will be heating up this summer. Protestors will be joined by David Suzuki, Danny glover, and Naomi Klein, hopefully raising the profile of this issue, for a series of actions in Washington DC. A letter explaining their strategy and motives can be read here.
National Geographic has spotlighted the proposed northern Gateway pipeline in an article titled “Pipeline Through Paradise.” The article details some of the hazards of the plan—piloting huge oil tankers through a narrow fjord to port—as well as the destruction it would bring to the Great Bear Rainforest. Read more about the article here, or head to newsstands and read the original.
Federal Environment Minister, Peter Kent, has unveiled a revamped tar sands monitoring plan. At a cost of nearly $50 million a year, Peter Kent claims that industry will pick up the tab, but Dave Collyer, President of the Canadian Association of Petroleum Producers, calls that claim “premature.” Read the full story here. This is a critical detail for the Government to work out, since they have slashed the budget of Environment Canada and other monitoring programs. More on that issue here.
Energy Ministers from across Canada met in Kananaskis this July to discuss a pan-Canadian energy strategy. The conference was heavily subsidized and endorsed by the energy industry ensuring a pro-industry, pro-petroleum, and pro-bitumen, perspective was taken. The result of the conference is a plan to turn Canada into a global energy superpower. Alberta Energy Minister Ron Liepert highlighted the importance of the Northern Gateway pipeline, adding that it would benefit from a national policy. Read more about the outcome of the conference here. And more about the corporate sponsors here.
Edmonton’s plan, The Way We Green, lays out sustainability targets and initiatives. It came under attack from the development community when it went before the City’s Executive Committee last week. In particular the Precautionary Principle, which Charles Richmond, our Edmonton issues coordinator, and others, vigorously argued be included was targeted by developers. Unfortunately the Executive Committee opted to eliminate the Precautionary Principle from the plan before passing the plan on to Council for a final vote. Read about the fallout from the day’s events here. Here is a link to the PP wiki-page that explains the policy.
Under Healthy Communities is an article that covers Edmonton Councilor Linda Sloan’s decision to vote against the final stage of re-zoning for a new development. While Councilor Sloan’s vote is largely symbolic, since the plan has advanced so far, it is always positive to see a Councilor take a principled stand on Urban sprawl. Read the article here. Action AlertsSupport our Re-Skilling Edmonton Campaign! Go to shareyourcare.ca and vote for “Life skills for sustainability”. You can vote once a day until July 31 with your Facebook account. One earth. One Chance. Text the word SIERRA to 45678 to donate $10 to Sierra Club Canada. Pipelines National Geographic spotlights proposed oilsands pipeline to B.C. EDMONTON — National Geogprahic magazine has again focused attention on Alberta’s oil sands, this time with an article on Enbridge’s proposed Northern Gateway project titled “Pipeline Through Paradise.” The magazine will hit newsstands this week, but the online version is available now. The article details the sinking of B.C. Ferries’ Queen of the North in 2006, and the oil still leaking from the submerged vessel, suggesting this is a taste of what is in store for the north coast of B.C. Cleanup continues on Pembina Pipeline spill near Swan Hills EDMONTON — Pembina Pipeline crews were continuing their cleanup of a 1,300 barrel spill near Swan Hills on Thursday, with vacuum and skimmer trucks called in to remove oil from a small creek. “We won’t be determining the cause of the leak until the cleanup is complete,” said spokesperson Shawn Davis. The small eight-inch feeder line, which can move 5,600 barrels per day, was shut down Tuesday morning after an imbalance was detected in the line.
You Spill What You Drill Oil spills have made a lot of headlines in the last year. And yet, while I knew about the BP spill in the Gulf, Enbridge’s pipeline spill in Michigan, and the 12 spills from the brand new Keystone pipeline carrying oil from the tar sands to the United States, I intimately felt the impact of the 28,000 barrels of oil that, at the end of April this year, leaked from the Rainbow pipeline in northern Alberta in the biggest spill that Alberta has seen in almost 40 years.
Stop the Keystone XL Pipeline – Environmental Leaders Call for Civil Disobedience Dear Friends,
Questions raised about new oil sands monitoring program Federal Environment Minister Peter Kent unveiled a sweeping oil sands monitoring plan on Thursday, but there were quick calls for development to slow while the environmental results are tabulated - and some question who will be picking up the $50 million yearly tab for the program. As Kent formally announced his "world-class" federal monitoring system for water, air and biodiversity - to be jointly administered with Alberta scientists and bureaucrats - the minister assured reporters that industry is prepared to cover the costs of the program. He added that's what his government expects. Canada to step up Tar Sands ‘monitoring’: output set to double by 2020 – greens worried Canada will boost monitoring of pollution from its oil sands projects, hoping to speed up U.S. approval of a pipeline to transport crude to the Gulf Coast, Environment Minister Peter Kent said on Thursday. Green groups have long campaigned against developing the oil sands of northern Alberta -- the world's third largest petroleum reserve -- on the grounds that development produces unacceptable amounts of greenhouse gases and other toxins.
Kananaskis Energy Conference Energy ministers endorse plan to turn Canada into Energy Superpower EDMONTON - Canada’s energy ministers have reached agreement on the foundations for a plan they say could see the country united in a quest to become a global energy superpower. That will mean a streamlined regulatory system and a push for more efficient energy use. It will see governments strongly support export natural gas and oil pipelines. The projects are needed to develop customers outside the United States, which currently buys 97 per cent of Canadian energy exports. List of corporate sponsors raises eyebrows at energy summit A major summit of Canadian energy and mines ministers starting this weekend in Alberta has provoked skepticism over its list of corporate sponsors, almost exclusively from the oil and gas industry, that have offered up $180,000 for a barbecue, catering and signs for delegates at the event. Private funding for energy ministers meeting a ‘corrupting influence’ A national environmental organization slammed corporate sponsorship of an upcoming meeting of energy ministers, funding the Alberta government and industry defended. The Sierra Club Canada in a news release bashed the coverage of up to 30 per cent of costs tied to the July 16 to 19 conference in Kananaskis Country by “big oil,” calling money put up by energy firms and groups “a corrupting influence.” Big Oil
sponsors energy meeting An environmental group
is slamming next week's Energy and Mines Ministers Meeting in Kananaskis. Sierra Club Canada says they can't believe the
major sponsors of the event are big oil companies. Executive Director John Bennett says the
optics are bad, and it sends the wrong message to Canadians. Bennett says the ministers' conference has
three Olympic-sounding levels of sponsorship, but the ministers won't win any
medals. Companies sponsoring
the four-day get together include Shell, Encana, Nexen and the Oilsands
Developers Group. Natural Gas Hydraulic fracturing concerns topic of public discussion A public meeting is being held tonight to discuss the issues surrounding hydraulic fracturing and associated concerns. "My main point for doing a public event, I'm really just trying to raise awareness about the issue," said Heidi Verheul, an environmental educator with the Atlantic chapter of the Sierra Club and a former Belmont resident. Sponsored by the Sierra Club and the Maritime Aboriginal Chapter and the Maritime Aboriginal Aquatic Resources Secretariate, the session is set to run from 7 to 9 p.m. at the Visitor Information Centre in the Truro Power Centre. Climate ChangeWe have a winner: British Columbia’s carbon tax woos skeptics During Canada’s 2008 federal election campaign Stephen Harper, the Conservative prime minister, warned that an opposition promise to introduce a carbon tax would “screw everybody”. Partly for that reason, Mr Harper is still the prime minister. But in the same year, the provincial government in British Columbia introduced a carbon tax of its own. Despite the levy, its economy is doing well. What is more, the tax is popular: it is backed by 54%, says a survey in the province by Environics, a pollster. Gordon Campbell, the Liberal premier who introduced the tax, won a provincial election the next year. Australia’s PM shows political courage on climate change Last Sunday night, the Prime Minister of Australia went on national television. Prime ministers in democratic countries take to the airwaves only if they have something extremely important to say. And Prime Minister Julia Gillard did. She said something inconceivable in Canada, at least under Stephen Harper’s government. “Most Australians now agree our climate is changing,” she said. “This is caused by carbon pollution. This has harmful effects on our environment and on the economy. And the government should act.” Atlantic groups demand more action on climate change A coalition of Atlantic Canadian environmental groups says the region's governments have to be more aggressive in dealing with greenhouse gas emissions. The coalition says each Atlantic province with the exception of Prince Edward Island has fallen short of their stated goal of reducing emissions to 1990 levels by 2010. Gretchen Fitzgerald of the Sierra Club of Canada says more needs to be done to promote renewable energy and to reduce emissions in the transportation sector. Natural gas not the answer, climate groups say Natural gas is not a "transition" fuel to a low-carbon energy future, says a report from two of Canada's most respected environmental think-tanks. Switching from coal to natural gas could help meet Canada's short-term goal of cutting greenhouse gas emissions by 17 per cent from 2005 levels by 2020. But if that's the only change Canada makes, the 2050 targets — an 80 per cent greenhouse gas reduction — would be almost impossible to achieve. Government & PoliticsFederal coal regulations risk being tarnished Just over a year ago, the federal government announced a plan to regulate greenhouse gas pollution from some of the dirtiest sources of energy in Canada -coal power plants. While the rules aren't scheduled to take effect for four years, the government promised to guard against any efforts to rush new plants into service ahead of their start date. Now, a decision by an Alberta regulator to approve a new coal plant has put the ball squarely in the federal government's court to live up to that commitment. And so far, the signs aren't promising.
Groups protest proposed environment spending cuts A number of organizations are warning that proposed cuts by the federal government to environment-related spending will have a detrimental effect on the country’s freshwater. “The departure of dozens of scientists and technicians could hamper Canada’s ability to protect our water supplies across the country,” reads an open letter to Prime Minister Stephen Harper that was posted on the website of the Council of Canadians.
CETA European MEP news re CETA the tar sands, climate change, social & environmental policies Keith Taylor, Green MEP for South East England and a member of the European Parliament’s International Trade Committee, today hosted an event on tar sands at the European Parliament. He called on the European Commission to make sure that the trade agreement currently being negotiated with Canada does not threaten crucial EU climate policy, or boost Europe’s involvement in Canada’s destructive tar sands industry.
CETA perplexing silence hangs over proposed Canada, E.U. trade pact When Canada’s premiers gather in Vancouver next week, it’s hard to imagine that the subject of trade talks with the European Union won’t come up. The potential ramifications of any deal for the provinces are enormous. And yet there has been little discussion in Canada about the proposed Comprehensive Economic and Trade Agreement (CETA), which is perplexing given the far-reaching implications for this country of any pact with the EU. We’re talking about a trade deal that in many ways is as big as the North American free-trade agreement and, in several instances, poses potential problems for Canadians as serious and disturbing as any in the 1994 accord with the Americans.
CETA Talk: Out of Equilibrium – The Impact of CETA in the Real World by Jim Stanford CAW Economist Jim Stanford offers his take on the CETA negotiations in this video presentation called Out of Equilibrium: The Impact of Canada-European Union Free Trade in the Real World. He challenges the merits and methodology of government studies that suggest this deal will bring only good things to both Canada and the EU. Stanford contrasts the government's Pollyanna view with results from his own independent research that show this deal will likely worsen Canada's already lopsided trade imbalance with Europe and could kill 150,000 Canadian jobs.
India
rejects investor-state clause with EU July
4—Despite a demand by the European Union (EU), India is unlikely to allow a clause in a proposed trade pact with
the bloc that permits an overseas
investor to sue a host country at an international dispute settlement agency. EU wanted the inclusion of such a clause,
known as an investor to state dispute
settlement mechanism, in a draft investment chapter under the proposed trade and investment agreement,
negotiations for which started in The Way We Green – Edmonton City’s green plan could cause bedlam developer warns EDMONTON - The city’s green plan came under attack Wednesday by development and lawn-care officials who fear the proposal could ruin their industries. “It has the very real potential of making Edmonton one of the most inhospitable and uneconomic places to live, work or do business if it becomes policy in its current form,” said Irv Kipnes, founder of Delcon Developments
Healthy CommunitiesFor one councilor, urban sprawl goes a ridge too far EDMONTON - Coun. Linda Sloan drew her line in the sand this week, voting no for the first time against one more new neighbourhood in a far corner of her ward. “I cannot in good conscience vote for more suburban residential zoning,” said the registered nurse and seven-year veteran councillor. On Monday, Walton Development applied for residential zoning for 160 houses in Hawks Ridge, the first homes to be built in a new neighbourhood south of St. Albert. Sierra Club opposed pesticide to be used in spray ST. JOHN’S — Sierra Club environmentalists are appalled the province is doing a helicopter herbicide spray on woodlands this summer using a chemical opposed in neighbouring provinces. Natural Resources has called tender for charter of a helicopter to apply the herbicide VisionMax in central and western Newfoundland, on about 348 cutovers and young plantations between August and September. Greening Canada’s game: Manitoba looks at recycling water for ice rinks Manitoba hockey players, figure skaters and curlers could soon be among the first in Canada to play on ice made from recycled shower water. The province is looking at a pilot project that would see the Winnipeg arena where Stanley Cup champion Jonathan Toews played hockey as a child convert its shampoo and sweat-laced waste water into ice for five of its skating rinks. Mixed
results for Calgary in recent green city survey Calgary is getting top marks for its water
conservation, but a failing grade for air pollution. According to the Siemens’ Green Cities Index,
Calgarians consume 429 litres of water per person, per day. That is well
below the average of 587 litres. However, when it comes to nitrogen oxide
emissions, Calgarians pump out more than 50 kilograms per person each year;
twice the index average. Nuclear Power Meltdown: What Really Happened at Fukushima? It’s been one of the mysteries of Japan’s ongoing nuclear disaster: How much of the damage did the March 11 earthquake inflict on Fukushima Daiichi’s reactors in the 40 minutes before the devastating tsunami arrived? The stakes are high: If the quake alone structurally compromised the plant and the safety of its nuclear fuel, then every other similar reactor in Japan is at risk. BlogsEco monitoring plan a non-plan
says Sierra Club Canada The 'environmental monitoring' plan for the
Tar Sands announced today by the federal government is actually a non-plan
says Sierra Club Canada. Delay, delay, delay would be a more apt assessment
of the federal government’s announcement.
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