Action Alert: Write a letter to Shell about their Jackpine tarsands expansion by October 1st!

[Chelsea Flook]

Say No to Shell: Write a letter to Shell about Jackpine expansion by October 1st

Shell wants to expand its Jackpine Mine project to add another 100,000 barrels of bitumen production per day in the tar sands. This would increase Shell's production to 300,000 bpd, and extend the life of the mine until 2049. This expansion will disturb 12,719ha of land, and and will mine out 21km of the Muskeg River. It will also create a put lake in its final stages that, once full by 2065, will cap 486 billion litres of mature fine tailings. End pit lakes are still very much an unproven way to deal with these toxic legacies, and they do not guarantee that any of the issues are solved.

Shells expansion also will see an increase of greenhouse gas emissions by 2.36 Mt CO2e/year, representing an increase of 5.2% in oil sands emissions. That's like adding 562,000 cars on the road each year! For more information on Shells proposal, visit the Canadian Environmental Assessment Agency website here.

In Canada, Shell already has the Muskeg River Mine and the original Jackpine Mine in the tar sands. However, Shell has failed to meet past impact benefit agreements with First Nations and First Nations communities have now filed legal proceedings against tar sands operations naming Shell, which could ultimately impact the viability of Shell’s current and future operation plans. 

​

Despite this opposition from First Nations, Shell is insisting on moving head with the expansion of the Jackpine mine and is planning to a new mine at Pierre Lake.

But that's not all! The Globe and Mail reports that:

“A week after Alberta enacted hard limits on air and water pollutants in its oil sands-rich northeastern corner, Shell Canada published a document that predicts the industry will exceed some of those limits. In the document submitted to the Canadian Environmental Assessment Agency last week, Shell says oil sands projects with provincial approval will, if all built, push levels of sulphur dioxide and nitrogen dioxide over new provincial thresholds in some areas. The company found that the combination of existing and coming projects threatens to wipe out caribou, acidify nearly two dozen lakes and produce some air emissions higher than regional standards enacted by the government of Alberta on Sept. 1….

Regulators “will need to start turning down projects to stay under the limits, or they’re seriously going to have to ratchet back on the performance of all the existing operators to try to get those pollutants down to levels to enable the industry to grow,” Simon Dyer, policy director at the Pembina Institute, a Calgary-based environmental lobby group.”

Take Action!

Send a letter to Shell outlining your concerns! Check out our new site, Stop Shell Now and follow the links to take action!

Letters are due by October 1st, so take 5 minutes, write a letter, and share this email amongst your friends!

 

Chelsea Flook
Executive Director
Sierra Club Prairie
Phone: 780-439-1160
Cell: 780-722-1226
6328 104 Street Nw, Edmonton, AB T6H 2K9

ONE EARTH, ONE CHANCE

Sierra Club Canada is a member-based organization that empowers people to protect, restore and enjoy a healthy and safe planet. Join us today! www.prairie.sierraclub.ca

Text the word SIERRA to 45678 to make a $10 donation to Sierra Club Canada.

Do it twice to donate $20, three times to donate $30!

The Mobile Giving Foundation will simply add $10 to your next phone bill.