An earlier CNRL leak in Cold Lake, Alberta (Chester Dawson / Wall Street Journal) COLD LAKE, Alta. – The Alberta Energy Regulator is investigating another leak from a Canadian Natural Resources (TSX:CNQ) bitumen well near Cold Lake. The regulator says 27,000 litres of crude bitumen were released underground on Jan.
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The Common Sense Canadian: Governor unveils new plan for $65 Billion Alaska gas pipeline
Construction of the Trans-Alaska Pipeline System, circa 1976 by Becky Bohrer, The Associated Press JUNEAU, Alaska – Gov. Sean Parnell on Friday announced a new way forward on a long-hoped-for natural gas pipeline that includes scrapping the terms of a 2007 law he says no longer works well for the
Continue readingThe Common Sense Canadian: West Virginia chemical spill closes much of capital
Freedom Industries’ Charleston plant (photo: flickr.com / flickr.com / iwasaround) by John Raby, The Associated Press CHARLESTON, W.Va. – Schools and restaurants closed, grocery stores sold out of bottled water, and state legislators who had just started their session cancelled the day’s business after a chemical spill in the Elk River
Continue readingThe Common Sense Canadian: Former Conservative environment minister: Keystone XL a “distraction”
CIBC VP and former Conservative Environment Minister Jim Prentice (image: youtube) CALGARY – Former Conservative cabinet minister Jim Prentice is urging Canada and the United States to look beyond the contentious and high-profile Keystone XL oil pipeline when it comes to their trade relationship. Prentice — who handled the environment
Continue readingThe Common Sense Canadian: Groups ask court to enforce species at risk laws re: pipelines, tankers
Humpback whales are among the species on BC’s coast threatened by oil tanker plans VANCOUVER – Environmental groups are in a federal court in Vancouver today to try and force the federal government to abide by its own Species At Risk Act. Ecojustice, on behalf of five groups, says Ottawa
Continue readingThe Common Sense Canadian: Vancouver port expansion plan to face independent review
VANCOUVER – Federal Environment Minister Leona Aglukkaq says an independent panel will review plans to build a major shipping-container terminal at a port south of Vancouver. Port Metro Vancouver wants to build a three-berth, marine-container facility that can handle an additional 2.4 million units every year at Roberts Bank in
Continue readingThe Common Sense Canadian: Lubicon Lake Nation appeals injunction over oil fracking blockade
Photo: Lubicon Lake Nation CALGARY – A First Nation is appealing a court injunction against a blockade of an energy company’s drilling site in northern Alberta. The Lubicon Lake Nation says the injunction granted to PennWest Petroleum Ltd. (TSX:PWT) last month gives the company unfettered access to an oil hydraulic
Continue readingThe Common Sense Canadian: New plan expected for blocking Asian Carp invasion of Great Lakes
Asian carp have overtaken the Mississippi basin. Plans are afoot to keep them out of the Great Lakes. by John Flesher, The Associated Press TRAVERSE CITY, Mich. – The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers is scheduled to release a long-anticipated study Monday listing options for shielding the Great Lakes from
Continue readingThe Common Sense Canadian: Alberta, BC plan for oil-by-rail in case pipelines fail
A 2012 CN derailment in Alberta by Steven Chua, The Canadian Press VANCOUVER – A task force report has been handed in to the British Columbia and Alberta governments that examines the idea of transporting oilsands’ crude via rail if proposed pipelines don’t get the green light, government documents show.
Continue readingThe Common Sense Canadian: Alberta faces onslaught of oilsands lawsuits
ACFN Chief Allan Adam outside an Alberta court in 2012, challenging Shell’s Jackpine development by Bob Weber, The Canadian Press EDMONTON – Simmering disputes over the oilsands between Alberta aboriginals and the provincial and federal governments will break into the open in 2014 as virtually every one of the many recent
Continue readingThe Common Sense Canadian: Americans conserving big on home electricity
American homes are getting greener, like this one in Minnesota by Jonathan Fahey, The Associated Press NEW YORK – The average amount of electricity consumed in U.S. homes has fallen to levels last seen more than a decade ago, back when the smartest device in people’s pockets was a Palm
Continue readingThe Common Sense Canadian: Greenpeace Arctic 30 activists happy to be home after Russian prison
Alexandre Paul upon his release from Russian prison on November 22 (AFP/Valdimir Baryshev) MONTREAL – Even after getting arrested at gunpoint, spending two months in a Russian jail, and a third in limbo while awaiting his exit visa, Greenpeace activist Alexandre Paul says the protest was worth it. In fact,
Continue readingThe Common Sense Canadian: Lac-Megantic voted top Canadian news story of 2013
MONTREAL – Editors and news directors across the country have selected the Lac-Megantic train derailment as Canada’s News Story of the Year, garnering 30.6% of the vote – ahead of Senate expenses and the Rob Ford scandal, which drew 24.2% and 22.6%, respectively. The following are select quotes from news editors
Continue readingThe Common Sense Canadian: US woman sues Canadian mining titan Teck over toxins, disease
1988 image of effluent from Teck’s lead and Zinc smelter in Trail, BC (photo: Joel Rogers) by Dene Moore, Canadian Press VANCOUVER – A Washington state woman has filed a class-action lawsuit against Teck Resources (TSX:TCK.B), claiming toxic pollutants from the company’s smelter in southeastern British Columbia are to blame
Continue readingThe Common Sense Canadian: No Surprise: Panel finds in favour of Enbridge
Former Enbridge CEO and Northern Gateway champion Patrick Daniel CALGARY – A review panel is recommending that the proposed Northern Gateway pipeline that would connect the Alberta oilsands to tankers on the B.C. coast go ahead. But the panel has attached 209 conditions to the project. The final decision rests
Continue readingThe Common Sense Canadian: NEB to announce Enbridge recommendations today
Chiefs of the Tsimshian First Nation speak out against Enrbidge at a 2012 Prince Rupert rally VANCOUVER – Following months of hearings, years of debate and dozens of protests, the federal panel reviewing the controversial Northern Gateway pipeline will release its report later today. Much hangs in the balance. The
Continue readingThe Common Sense Canadian: Quebec to investigate PCB contamination throughout province
MONTREAL – Quebec’s environment minister has announced a new inspection program will be carried out on known PCB sites in the province. Yves-Francois Blanchet says priority will be given to 60 licensed PCB sites, which will be checked between now and April 2014. The inspections will be carried out on
Continue readingThe Common Sense Canadian: National Energy Board approves 4 LNG export licences for 25 years
Petronas/Progress’ proposed LNG project near Prince Rupert, BC obtained 1 of 4 25-yr export licences CALGARY – The National Energy Board has approved applications by four companies for 25-year licences to export liquid natural gas from the West Coast. Subject to final government review, the applications approved by NEB would
Continue readingThe Common Sense Canadian: Industry seeks right to release water from oilsands tailings ponds
Syncrude tailings pond (photo: David Dodge, Pembina Institute) EDMONTON – Oilsands producers are talking with the federal and Alberta governments about conditions under which water from the industry’s tailings ponds could be released into the environment. Officials say releases would only involve treated water and wouldn’t happen until the end
Continue readingThe Common Sense Canadian: Newfoundland national park, world heritage site spared from oil fracking
Newfoundland’s Gros Morne National Park (Newfoundland and Labrador Tourism) ST. JOHN’S, N.L. – An oil exploration company that set off intense debate with plans to frack near Gros Morne National Park in western Newfoundland says it will lose its licence next month to drill wells near the UNESCO world heritage
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