Crude Awakening Part 2 of 3.

Alberta Premier tells U.S. that environmental toll from oilsands is a "myth"

See for yourself - CBC news report on Alberta tar sands environmental impact. Part 2 of 3.

WASHINGTON - Alberta Premier Ed Stelmach asked American business leaders Wednesday not to buy into the "myth" that oilsands production comes at too high an environmental cost, saying attempts to curtail it "don't make sense."

But he faced disbelieving protesters at every turn on the first day of his trade visit to the United States, including about 35 environmentalists who passed out flyers to guests arriving at a Canadian embassy reception.

"Stelmach should be back home cleaning up the oil industry rather than running around Washington as an oil salesman," said Liz Butler, organizing director for ForestEthics, a Canada-U.S. based organization.

"The U.S. does not want Canada's dirty oil."

Stelmach told an energy forum that although the myth about the oilsands project has gained some traction south of the border, it would be foolish to restrict the project now.

"There are ongoing attempts in some quarters of this country to slow down or even stop oilsands development. Those attempts don't reflect reality and they don't make sense," he said.

"Even worse, they could serve to jeopardize this country's energy security at a time when Asian markets are clamouring for oil."

Stelmach also noted that climate change initiatives such as California's low carbon fuel standard will penalize energy imports from Alberta.

"That doesn't serve either of our countries' energy interests or environmental interests," he said.

"The bottom line is, in Alberta, we do not proceed with development at the expense of the environment . . . We don't need to be cajoled into acting in an environmentally responsible manner because we're otherwise unwilling or unable to do so."

After the speech, Stelmach told reporters the province is intent on tripling production from 1.25 million barrels a day by 2016.

"We're here to continue to build the relationship and deliver the message that we're developing the resources in an environmentally responsible way," said the premier.

While "there's a number of things that have to be put in place" to protect the environment.

Air quality and water quality is constantly tested and mostly scores better than most cities, he said.

Environmentalists are particularly critical of Alberta's oilsands industry because of the large amount of greenhouse gases emitted in the production process.

The project accounts for less than one-tenth of one per cent of all the world's emissions, said Stelmach, and any facility that emits more than 100,000 tonnes a year is required to reduce the intensity by 12 per cent.

"It's really all about quality of life of citizens on both sides of the border," he said.

Back home in Edmonton, the premier's comments drew an immediate rebuke from the Opposition Alberta Liberals, who said many Albertans want to see a slowdown in the rapid pace of oilsands production.

Liberal environment critic David Swann said describing widespread concerns over oilsands expansion as a "myth" is an insult to Albertans and the premier will likely pay for his remarks in the next election.

U.S. protesters were no less vehement.

"Oil from the tar sands is about our energy past, not our future," said Liz Barratt-Brown, a senior attorney at the Natural Resources Defence Council.

"The U.S. should not rely on a dirty fuel that results in the destruction of Canada's biologically rich boreal forest for tar sands mining and drilling."

Said Tzeporah Berman of ForestEthics: Canada risks becoming an international pariah for promoting the tar sands instead of joining the fight against climate change."

A U.S. energy bill signed in December says the U.S. government won't buy fuel from non-conventional petroleum sources that have higher emissions than equivalent conventional fuels.

Environmentalists say the oilsands will create three times as much greenhouse gases because of the huge amount of energy required to extract the resource.

When asked about the danger of U.S. standards becoming onerous, Stelmach said he wasn't concerned.

"The private sector, the market will determine" sales, he said.

"There's a lot of demand for oil."

Analysts peg oilsands reserves at about 173 billion barrels.

"Our goal has always been to work closely with the U.S.," said Stelmach. "We're the world's best trading partners and we want to keep it that way."

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[jason74ftchip]

should be $1000,00 a barrel ..... I think the only way to stop this Genocide ,is with violence ! ... sorry to say but that seems to be the only way.......

[NormanMcGregor]

People on mass switching to clean green alternatives is a better way than violence and would have more of a real financial impact and demand for lowering oil production plus also contribute to the lowering of costs for cheeper green energy. Support and use Green energy!

[kadathdreamques]

Norman, I don't understand people who say wind farms are an eyesore (they even brought up the birds hitting them, even though birds have been killing themselves by the thousand for years on office towers - and nobody says we should stop building office towers).

In Huron County Ontario, the windfarm looks a lot more peaceful than the Bruce nuclear reactors. Farmers like it, and you don't need to have anti-terrorist training.

[NormanMcGregor]

Wind farms can also be constructed where the power is needed thus reducing the need for additional environmental damage and wasted land use consumed by transmission line creation. They also eliminate the vast environmental destruction caused by strip mining used to extract coal for power generating coal plants and the toxic air polution caused by burning the coal and the drain on our presious water resources to create steam which drive the generators. Wind power is just good clean energy.

[akhalif68]

People in Alberta!! Stop & think about what is being done here in the name of money & greed. Remember the plants & animals as well as humans need clean water/soil/air to have a healthy existance. Somebody has to stop this madness!!

[NormanMcGregor]

Greed and money have over taken good sence! Environmental groups have said that it would take as little as $2.00/barrel to clean up the Tar Sands and have clean production. While useing oil at this point is a world necessity, it would seem that with all the wealth in Alberta, Oil companies and the Government could spare a misley $2.00/barrel to protect our world and the people.

[kadathdreamques]

Doof.

They are strip mining sub-arctic forest the size of some small countries to get us oil.

Just like a welfare case. Kings for a day.

What happens when it's gone? Spoiled land, government responsible (i.e. taxpayers) for cleanup, and no long-term industry.

[rhysfawr4]

'Expensive and dirty process' Right, which means we need $70/bbl just to make it worthwhile. So in Nov 2008 Alta is getting beggared. Our reward? A 50x80km tailings 'pond' so toxic even our rednecks wouldn't swim in it, though I would pay to see em try! 4x4's with big screens and xbox 360's. To keep it all in: a nat-gas-guzzling, 4,000 sqrft. cardboard box at $600,000 a pop! Oh, and for any race living along the shores of Lake AthaB: rare and weird terminal cancers and birth defects! woot!

[jaymorpheus11]

Fine, I guess i'll just not use the AC this summer.

[ShadowFox13666]

"the fish are rotting alive?" ...O____O

[catsrule52]

I'm hearing a lot of finger pointing at te US here. I think we need to remember we are part of the problem as well.

[Revolutionisnow1]

This makes me so mad to see what they are doing to my home!

[Toomnyusernae]

I can't believe the environment minister just bluntly said "No, we're not looking into the reason behind the mutated fish whatsoever. At least, not directly."

[makinamill]

Big Business has all the controls and Government regulates thier needs and this make for local decision makers a cayous structure. This is mega project is on Cree, Dene and Slavey Terrritory, to name a few Indigenous Nations effected by this project on a daily basis. Industrial Generating Companies need to regulated by the people most effected by their endless greed for control. control?!

[someguycalledshelnut]

Bye bye

[weedmanurfcharsi]

okay tell me somthing i will say that will make u go away....as far as i know, u heard somthing "intelligent" and were leaving...but then u suddenly realized...that i m more intelligent in kiking ur ass///lol...i ll give u break since ur so pathetic...i cant torture u anymore...lol...shou kitty.

[someguycalledshelnut]

Came back because I thought I heard something worthwhile. I was wrong, just some little monkey brain yapping off at the mouth again.

[weedmanurfcharsi]

please b my guest ...go somwhere else...lol...thats wat i was saying from the begining...lol...ur seriously dumb.