Pembina reacts to U.S. senators’ environmental concerns with Canadian oilsands

Oct

29

2010

WASHINGTON, D.C. - Danielle Droitsch, U.S. Policy Director for the Pembina Institute, made the following statement in response to a letter sent by 11 American Senators to U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton regarding her department's review of the proposed Keystone XL pipeline, which would more than double U.S. imports of Canadian oilsands:

"This powerful letter is another example of how the largest oilsands customer, the United States, is carefully watching oilsands development in Canada. It is time the Alberta and federal governments strengthened and enforced laws and regulations to reduce water and greenhouse gas pollution, and damage to forests and wildlife from oilsands development.

"This influential group of senators has highlighted the increasing concern in the U.S. that oilsands development has significant environmental impacts. It adds to the growing list of issues already raised by 50 other members of Congress, the Department of Energy and the Environmental Protection Agency.

"The Canadian and Albertan governments and the oilsands industry cannot continue to rely on public relations. They are over-promising and under-delivering and it won't stand up to the informed scrutiny of American lawmakers and regulators."

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