Whether it moves by pipeline, by rail, or by tanker, tar sands and other oil is polluting, highly combustible, and dangerous to communities and our climate. In order to avert the worst of the climate crisis and protect our communities from devastating explosions and oil spills, we must stop the industry from building any new oil infrastructure. After more than a decade of advocacy, legal challenges, and organizing in partnership with local communities along the pipeline route and across the country, we successfully blocked the proposed Keystone XL tar sands pipeline. Now we are continuing to apply those same tools to winning fights against other pipelines, oil train terminals, and oil export facilities across the country.
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Minneapolis, MN -- Today, the Minnesota Department of Commerce released the Draft Environmental Impact Statement for Enbridge’s Line 3 Pipeline. The proposed tar sands pipeline has faced widespread backlash from communities for the proposed reroute and expansion of a section of the pipeline through the Mississippi headwaters and treaty protected wild rice waters and issues with abandonment of the aging current-Line 3 section.
Mead, Colorado -- Late yesterday, an oil tanker in Mead, CO exploded, killing one and injuring three. Authorities are continuing to investigate the cause of the explosion.
Washington, DC -- Late yesterday, the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) rejected Energy Transfer Partners’ request to resume horizontal directional drilling at two sites for its Rover fracked gas pipeline. This rejection comes after numerous leaks into Ohio’s wetlands, and Clean Air and Clean Water act violations. FERC has halted the process at only eight locations of the 32 where drilling is taking place under Ohio’s wetlands and streams.
ANCHORAGE – Interior Secretary Zinke today signed a Secretarial Order opening the Arctic to increased oil and gas production. The Order initiates a review of the sensitive coastal plain of the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge for oil and gas development and aims to increase drilling in the Western Arctic. In response Lena Moffitt, director of the Sierra Club’s Our Wild America campaign issued the following statement.
Columbus, OH -- Today, the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) notified Energy Transfer Partners (ETP) that it was conducting an investigation into the construction of the fracked gas Rover pipeline. The investigation comes as the Ohio EPA discovered the presence of petroleum hydrocarbon constituents, which are commonly found in diesel fluid, among the fluid ETP spilled near the Tuscarawas River during construction.
Today, the Minnesota Department of Commerce submitted testimony to the Minnesota Public Utilities Commission (PUC) on Enbridge’s certificate of need application for its proposed Line 3 tar sands pipeline expansion project. The PUC will be accepting public comments over the next few months and is expected to make a decision next spring.