by Colin Nickerson, Globe Correspondent Boston Globe news story SOUTH PORTLAND, Maine — Over seven decades, the Portland pipeline has propelled some 5 billion gallons of crude oil across the mountains and beneath the pristine waters of northern New England to refineries in Quebec. Aside from a few small spills years ago, the 236-mile-long colossus 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.
Raymond Passes Tar Sands Resolution
By John Balentine KeepMECurrent.com news story RAYMOND — Raymond Board of Selectmen on Tuesday night unanimously passed a resolution urging state and federal officials “to ensure the highest level of safety for the citizens of Raymond and the state of Maine” if a project to transport Canadian oil sands through a Maine pipeline moves forward. Read More
Coalition Petitions Feds to Develop Tar Sands Pipeline Safety Standards
Asks USEPA and DOT to Protect Communities from Tar Sands Spills News Release Montpelier, VT; Augusta, ME — Today, citing inadequate current rules, a coalition of hunter-angler, conservation groups, former government officials, and landowners at risk of tar sands spills filed a petition with the U.S. Department of Transportation’s Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration Read More
Safety Standards Sought for Tar Sands Oil Pipelines
by Susan Sharon MPBN news story Several dozen landowners, current and former government officials and conservation groups from several states are petitioning the federal government to develop new safety standards for tar sands oil pipelines. The groups, including the National Wildlife Federation and the Natural Resources Council of Maine, are also asking for a moratorium Read More
Portland-area Residents: No Tar Sands Pipeline
by Tux Turkel, staff writer Portland Press Herald news story SOUTH PORTLAND — Residents from around the Portland area sent a clear message at a workshop held by the city Monday evening to learn more about transporting the heavy crude known as tar-sands oil: They respect the fine record of Portland Pipe Line Corp. but Read More
South Portland Tar Sands Hearing Draws Big Crowd
by Susan Sharon MPBN news story There’s no formal proposal to bring tar sands oil from Canada to Maine — yet. But that didn’t stop more than 350 people from turning out in a South Portland gymnasium last night to learn more about tar sands, and to register their concerns about it. South Portland is Read More
Waterford Passes Resolution Opposing Sending Tar Sands Oil Through Town and Region to Protect the Crooked River
NRCM news release Waterford, ME — Waterford residents voted today to pass a municipal resolution stating opposition to sending tar sands oil through ExxonMobil’s Portland-Montreal Pipeline, making it the third Maine town to publicly and officially oppose the proposal. At today’s town meeting more than a half dozen pipeline industry representatives lobbied the townspeople against Read More
NRCM Applauds Pingree and Michaud for Insisting: No Tar Sands in Maine Pipeline without New Permit and Environmental Review
NRCM news release Today Congresswoman Chellie Pingree sent a letter, co-signed by 17 other members of Congress, including Congressman Michael Michaud, asking that the owners of the Portland Pipeline not be allowed to pump tar sands oil from Canada through Maine without applying for a new permit and undergoing environmental review. The letter was addressed Read More
Scrutiny Urged on Piping of Tar Sands Through Maine
Members of Congress want federal assurance that heavy crude transports wouldn’t put Maine communities at risk. by Kevin Miller, Washington Bureau Chief Portland Press Herald news story WASHINGTON — The growing debate over the possibility of Canadian tar sands oil being piped through Maine has spread to Washington, D.C., as members of Congress urge the Read More
