Earth Equity News

Push for Tar-Sands Pipeline Sparks Fierce Hill Debate. By Elana Schor, Greenwire, 10/1/10. "2010 was marked by pitched environmental battles that Congress left unsettled as the clock wound down. But some of the season's most intense political jockeying has come over a seven billion dollar project that lawmakers can neither approve nor veto. The 1,700-mile Keystone XL pipeline would carry up to 900,000 barrels per day of Canadian oil sands to Texas refineries, nearly doubling U.S. imports from a crude reserve ranked as the second-largest in the world… TransCanada Corp. CEO Russ Girling said 'The way I'd characterize the split is, there are those supportive of the import of Canadian oil because the U.S. needs oil for a long time yet to come,' By contrast, he added, critics of the oil sands are 'focused on shutting down what most would say would be the most reliable source of crude oil to America.' TransCanada's message is simple: If America does not take advantage of the oil sands, other nations will... p

"Meanwhile, national and local environmental advocates are meeting TransCanada's efforts with a redoubled campaign of their own. Several Nebraska green groups launched a telephone and Internet tip line this week aimed at collecting local concerns over the company's threat to use powers of eminent domain against landowners who live in the pipeline's planned path. Jane Kleeb, chief of the liberal-leaning Bold Nebraska group, which helped create the new tip line, said she sees TransCanada's volley of radio and print ads in the state 'backfiring' among residents."