TAR SANDS Oil Pipeline

Find out about tar sands oil.

What would a tar sands pipeline mean to Waterford?

(yes, we already have an oil pipeline here, but not tar sands)

The next page has a few facts.

Find out more and join your neighbors in discussion!

3 -meeting dates on differing week-days all at 7pm at the town office

Tue. Dec. 11th hosted by Earl Morse

Thu. Jan. 31th hosted by Ray Holme

10 Things You Should Know about Tar Sands Oil and the Portland

Montreal Pipeline:

Canadian oil and gas giant Enbridge has proposed pumping dirty tar sands oil from Ontario to South Portland where it would be shipped by tanker to refineries. The existing Portland Montreal Pipeline passes through beautiful Western Maine—running right next to Sebago Lake, Pleasant Lake, and Panther Pond, and along and crossing the Androscoggin, Crooked, and Presumpscot rivers. Here are 10 things you should know about tar sands oil and threats to our environment and economy.

1.) Tar sands oil is not like conventional oil. The Portland Montreal Pipeline is currently pumping regular crude oil. Tar sands are thicker, more abrasive, more corrosive, and more acidic than regular crude oil, which increase the risk of pipeline failure and spills.

2.) Tar sands must be pumped at higher temperatures and pressures than regular oil. The refined product, Bitumen, contains carcinogenic chemicals such as benzene.

3.) Tar sands are mined out of the ground in the Alberta, Canada oil fields the size of Rhode Island. The plant and wildlife-rich Boreal Forest is leveled during this process.

4.) Tar sands is 20% more carbon intensive than regular crude oil. Exploiting tar sands would deepen our dependence on fossil fuels and exacerbate climate change.

5.) The Portland Montreal Pipeline is over 60 years old. It has been pumping regular crude oil 236 miles from South Portland to Canada since 1941. An aging pipeline increases the chance of a tar sands oil spill.

6.) The Pipeline crosses the Crooked River 6 times, follows the Androscoggin and Presumpscot Rivers, passes by Sebago Lake and several lakes, ponds, and streams. In Waterford, the pipeline runs adjacent to the Crooked River the entire way.

7.) When tar sands spills, it finds its way to water and sinks. Unlike regular oil, tar sands sinks in water. Spills are more devastating and cleanup efforts more difficult and expensive. Birds, fish, turtles, and other wildlife are covered in oil and can die.

8.) Pipelines that carry tar sands are 3 times more likely to spill per mile than a pipeline carrying light crude oil. (http://www.ilr.cornell.edu/globallaborinstitute/research/upload/GLI_Impact-of-Tar-Sands-Pipeline-Spills.pdf)

9.) Enbridge, the company that owns the Portland Montreal Pipeline, has had 800 oil spills between 1999 and 2010 amounting to 6.7 million gallons. (http://www.nwf.org/~/media/PDFs/GlobalWarming/Reports/NWF_EnbridgeOilSpill_WEB_Final.ashx)

10.) Casco Bay would become the tar sands oil capitol of the East Coast. Massive tankers would invade Casco Bay, fill up on tar sands, and traverse the rocky coast for export.