By David Sharp The Associated Press Portland Press Herald news story PORTLAND — One of two pipelines stretching from Portland to Montreal has surpassed its life expectancy, an environmental group said Thursday, citing court documents. The Portland Pipe Line Corp. dismissed the assertion as “grossly misleading” and said its dual pipelines can operate safely for Read More
Tar Sands Oil
Tar sands oil is the dirtiest and most climate-destructive form of oil in the world. When it spills, it is almost impossible to clean up. There was a proposal to bring tar sands oil through an existing nearly 70-year-old pipeline in Maine. It crosses some of Maine’s most pristine watersheds and ends at Casco Bay. This plan would have put our lakes, rivers, and coastal waters at risk, and threatened communities and drinking water from Sebago Lake along its path. NRCM was the first organization to bring the threat of tar sands to the public’s attention in Maine in 2009, and was a leader on this issue statewide.
Tar sands oil is one of the dirtiest forms of energy on the planet and is a growing threat in Maine and the Northeast. Extracted from huge open-pit mines in Alberta, Canada, tar sands oil is 20% more carbon intensive than conventional crude oil.
Sending tar sands crude oil to Maine would have required reversing an existing pipeline owned by Portland Montreal Pipe Line, a pipeline that passes next to Sebago Lake, the drinking water supply for more than 15% of Maine people. It would have endangered Casco Bay and our fishing and lobster industries. Many Maine cities and towns passed resolutions in opposition to transporting tar sands oil through their communities, and South Portland passed the Clear Skies Ordinance to protect their community.
LePage Details Support of Keystone Tar Sands Pipeline Project in Letter to John Kerry
by Christopher Cousins, BDN staff Bangor Daily News news story AUGUSTA, Maine — Gov. Paul LePage’s endorsement of the controversial Keystone pipeline project, which he detailed in a March 3 letter to Secretary of State John Kerry, added new fuel to a long-term debate about bringing tar sands oil through Maine. At issue is a Read More
NWF Reveals Newly Uncovered Documents Showing Portland-Montreal Pipeline Already Past Retirement Date
NWF/NRCM news release March 13, 2014 – According to the company that owns it, the 64-year-old pipeline that currently transports crude oil from Portland, Maine, to Montreal has already passed its projected retirement date, documents recently discovered by the National Wildlife Federation show. The Exxon-owned Portland Pipe Line Corporation (PPLC) seeks to reverse the aging Read More
Canadian Government’s Pipeline Ruling ‘Brings Tar Sands Oil to New England’s Doorstep,’ Environmentalists Say
By Seth Koenig, BDN Staff Bangor Daily News news story PORTLAND, Maine — State environmental groups decried a decision by the Canadian government late Thursday afternoon to allow the reversal and expansion of a pipeline leading to east Montreal, where they say controversial tar sands oil can now be pumped almost to the New England Read More
Canadian Pipeline Decision Raises Tar Sands Fears in Maine
by Tom Porter MPBN news story Environmental advocates are concerned that a decision this afternoon by Canadian Energy Regulators will pave the way for the arrival in Maine of so-called tar sands oil from Alberta – an energy source which they describe as much more toxic than conventional crude. The decision by Canada’s National Energy Read More
Pipeline Approved to Bring Tar Sands to Montreal and New England’s Doorstep
News release Mainers react with increased concern, renewed call for federal environmental review Today the National Energy Board of Canada gave approval to a proposal by pipeline giant Enbridge to reverse and increase the flow of crude oil, including tar sands oil, in its pipeline from Sarnia, Ontario to Montreal, Quebec—for the first time directly Read More
Big Oil’s Marketing of Tar Sands a Bait-and-switch Operation
Its current marketing campaign is a textbook example of rebranding. by Taryn Hallweaver Portland Press Herald op-ed Big Oil has pulled a big bait and switch on the people of Maine. Either that or it has a memory problem. For more than a year, the oil industry told us that it had no plans to Read More
Canada Decision May Bring Tar Sands Oil Closer to Maine
Regulators are expected to allow a pipeline to start flowing into Montreal, which environmentalists fear will open the door to pumping the controversial oil to Portland Harbor. By Matt Byrne, Staff Writer Portland Press Herald news story Canadian regulators are expected to announce Thursday whether they will allow the reversal of a pipeline that could Read More
Tar Sands Oil in Maine: All Risk, No Benefit
by Lisa Pohlmann and Brownie Carson Times Record op-ed The possibility that tar sands oil will be pumped through a pipeline across Maine is now on the public’s radar, especially in the wake of the enormous march and rally in Portland on Jan. 26. Press reports on the rally have led many people, including the Read More
