Tar Sands pipeline

[Riot]

http://thinkprogress.org/romm/2011/0...sands-climate/

The Canadian tar sands are substantially dirtier than conventional oil as the chart above shows (longer analysis here).

They may contain enough carbon-intensive fuel to make stabilizing atmospheric concentrations of carbon dioxide at non-catastrophic levels all but impossible.

The environmental impacts of tar sands development include:
irreversible effects on biodiversity and the natural environment
reduced water quality
destruction of fragile pristine Boreal Forest
destruction of associated wetlands, aquatic and watershed mismanagement
habitat fragmentation
habitat loss
disruption to life cycles of endemic wildlife particularly bird and Caribou migration
fish deformities
negative impacts on the human health in downstream communities

An overwhelming objection is that exploitation of tar sands would make it implausible to stabilize climate and avoid disastrous global climate impacts.

The tar sands are estimated (e.g., see IPCC Fourth Assessment Report) to contain at least 400 GtC (equivalent to about 200 ppm CO2). Easily available reserves of conventional oil and gas are enough to take atmospheric CO2 well above 400 ppm, which is unsafe for life on earth.

However, if emissions from coal are phased out over the next few decades and if unconventional fossil fuels including tar sands are left in the ground, it is conceivable to stabilize earth’s climate.

Phase out of emissions from coal is itself an enormous challenge. However, if the tar sands are thrown into the mix, it is essentially game over.

There is no practical way to capture the CO2 emitted while burning oil, which is used principally in vehicles.

Governments are acting as if they are oblivious to the fact that there is a limit on how much fossil fuel carbon we can put into the air. Fossil fuel carbon injected into the atmosphere will stay in surface reservoirs for millennia. We can extract a fraction of the excess CO2 via improved agricultural and forestry practices, but we cannot get back to a safe CO2 level if all coal is used without carbon capture or if unconventional fossil fuels, like tar sands are exploited.

[Riot]

Sen. Mike Johanns (R-Nebraska) joined the Republican governor of his home state, Dave Heineman, in calling on President Obama to reject the proposed Keystone XL pipeline.

U.S. Sen. Mike Johanns (R-Neb.) today released the following statement in support of Nebraska Governor Dave Heineman’s request to President Barack Obama and Secretary of State Hillary Clinton to deny the proposed route for the Keystone XL pipeline:

“I support Governor Heineman’s request that President Obama and Secretary Clinton deny the current application from TransCanada to build the Keystone XL pipeline along a route crossing Nebraska’s Sand Hills and the center of the Ogallala Aquifer,” said Johanns. “The proposed route is the wrong route. It’s clear to me, after traveling throughout the state, that most Nebraskans agree a better route is needed.

“Amid much discussion about authorities, one thing is irrefutable and that is the State Department’s authority to approve or reject TransCanada’s current permit application. The Governor has now unequivocally stated that the application should be denied; I agree. TransCanada should be forced to select a more appropriate pipeline route.”

The pipeline would go through Nebraska, right over the top of the Ogalala aquifer, one of the largest and most vital groundwater deposits in the world.
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http://www.americanindependent.com/1...eline-rejected