Wednesday, October 8, 2008
ELPC’s Howard Learner has been outspoken on the huge global warming pollution impacts of the eight planned oil refinery expansions in the Great Lakes region. He shared his views with a conference in Toronto entitled, “How the Oil Sands Got to the Great Lakes Basin: Pipelines, Refineries and Emissions to Air and Water.” The University of Toronto’s Munk Centre sponsored the event and issued an accompanying report that spells out the pollution linked to the refinery expansions that are needed to process tar sands crude, along with the new pipeline networks needed to transport the oil. The report says this creates a “pollution delivery system” connecting Alberta to the Great Lakes region of Canada and the U.S. Read the Toronto Globe and Mail article.
Tuesday, June 3, 2008
Congress overrode the President’s veto of the Farm Bill, including a significant clean energy development component. The legislation has improved and new programs for wind power, advanced biofuels, energy efficiency, solar power and new energy crops for cleaner energy from America’s farmers, ranchers and rural businesses. “These programs are good for all Americans - they are a win-win-win for our energy security, environment, and economy,” said Howard Learner, ELPC’s Executive Director.
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Tuesday, June 3, 2008
Eight oil refinery expansions have been proposed across the Midwest over the past few months due in large part to the newly commercially viable tar sands in Alberta, Canada. Alberta tar sands or Canadian crude is sandy, petroleum rich deposits which can be harvested, then transported to oil refineries to be processed and converted into workable fuel for our cars and trucks, among other things. The potential increase in global warming from the oil refinery expansions is huge. One proposed new oil refinery in Hyperion, SD would add 19 million tons of pollutants - the equivalent of 4 to 6 new coal-fired power plants to the state. The proposed expansion by BP in northwest Indiana is reported to increase global warming pollution by 40%.
