With the spotlight shining on clean energy, the stage has been set for the U.S. to rid itself of a harmful addiction to foreign oil. The stars are aligned and the cards have been dealt. Soon we’ll have kicked the dirty habit, right?

Sarah Palin seems to think so. Perhaps you’ll remember her proposal to tap the natural gas supply found under the pristine Alaskan wilderness. As Governor of Alaska she “fought to bring about the largest private-sector infrastructure project in North American history . . . a nearly $40 billion natural gas pipeline to help lead America to energy independence.”

Read more of this story »

And the mere fact that she is even considering running in 2012 makes me ill…

…but maybe it’s just gas.

Now if the natural gas and land depletion aren’t enough to get you thinking; the water consumption is heinous. It takes two to four barrels of water to produce one barrel of bitumen (which is what they are really after). The used tailings are then stored, unusable, in tailings lakes, which have potential negative effects on the health of the environment and the population surrounding the contaminated area.

Oil Sands Facts

Climate Change
· Alberta’s greenhouse gas regulation does not require real reductions in emissions from oil sands operations.
· Oil sands production is much more greenhouse gas–intensive than conventional oil production.
· Oil sands are the fastest-growing source of greenhouse gas emissions in Canada.
· Continued increases in greenhouse gas emissions show that Canada’s commitment to address climate change falls far short of what’s needed.
· Large-scale carbon capture and storage for oil sands emissions is currently a distant and uncertain prospect.
· Companies are allowed to switch to burning dirtier fuels as a source of energy for oil sands extraction — further increasing greenhouse gas emissions from the oil sands.

Water Impacts
· Oil sands mining uses two to four barrels of water for every barrel of bitumen produced.
· Oil sands companies are not required to stop withdrawing water from the Athabasca River, even if flows are so low that fisheries and habitats are at serious risk.
· Capping toxic tailings waste in end pit lakes with water is an unproven and risky concept.
· For over 40 years, oil sands mining companies voluntarily managed tailings on their own, in the absence of concrete government regulations.
· Tailings lakes seep toxic waste. It is uncertain exactly what is seeping, how much is seeping and what ecosystem components are affected.
· Tailings lakes house compounds known to be acutely toxic to aquatic organisms.
· Reclamation of tailings lakes has not yet been demonstrated.

Boreal Forest Impacts
· Alberta’s oil sands underlie one-fifth of the province, and development is already planned for more than 79,000 square kilometers.
· The Athabasca Boreal Forest will not be restored to its native state following mine closure.
· Oil sands mining reclamation standards are weak and lack transparency; only one square kilometer of land has been certified as reclaimed to date.
· The security bonds that are supposed to protect Canadians from costly environmental liabilities may be inadequate.

Perhaps Alaska’s natural gas store will help America achieve oil independence. But it is going to take strong regulations to stop the spread of “the most destructive project on earth.”

Photo Coutesy of Suncor Energy

Map Courtesy of Enbridge Pipelines

This post contains additional media. Click here to view the full post.
The first time I heard about Palin’s proposed $40 billion Alaska natural gas pipeline was not when she asked the Wasilla Assembly of God to pray for it, but it was during the October 2, 2008 vice presidential debate:

We’re building a nearly $40 billion natural gas pipeline, which is North America’s largest and most expensive infrastructure project ever, to flow those sources of energy into hungry markets.

Today, Palin mentioned the natural gas pipeline again in her energy policy speech given in Toledo, Ohio touting the project as proof she is an energy reformer:

We introduced the big oil companies and their lobbyists to a concept some of them had forgotten — free-market competition. They had a monopoly on power and resources, and we broke it. The result is, finally, progress on the largest private-sector infrastructure project in North American history — a nearly forty-billion dollar natural gas pipeline to help lead America to energy independence.

When the last section is laid and its valves are opened, that pipeline will lead America one step farther away from reliance on foreign energy.  That pipeline will be a lifeline — freeing us from debt, dependence and the influence of foreign powers that do not have our interests at heart.

Read more of this story »

1. Introduction
It’s obvious why Sarah Palin got the VP nod. And Saturday Night Live makes this point most brilliantly: Hillary Clinton.

2. Sarah Palin On The Environment
Just one day before being picked as the GOP vice president, she wrote a letter to California Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger urging him to shoot down policy aimed at pollution.

3. Sarah Palin On Ethics
Palin’s record is already dirty enough to warrant a trip to the free clinic, and that’s just as Governor! What is she capable of if elected as VP?

4. Sarah Palin On Energy and Big Oil
Sarah Palin dismisses alternative energy in favor of a pipeline built by God.

5. Sarah Palin On Foreign Policy
Colin Powell is jumping party lines because of Palin - can we afford her on the job training?

Image Credit: bobster1985 via flickr

Now if the natural gas and land depletion aren’t enough to get you thinking; the water consumption is heinous. It takes two to four barrels of water to produce one barrel of bitumen (which is what they are really after). The used tailings are then stored, unusable, in tailings lakes, which have potential negative effects on the health of the environment and the population surrounding the contaminated area.

Oil Sands Facts

Climate Change
· Alberta’s greenhouse gas regulation does not require real reductions in emissions from oil sands operations.
· Oil sands production is much more greenhouse gas–intensive than conventional oil production.
· Oil sands are the fastest-growing source of greenhouse gas emissions in Canada.
· Continued increases in greenhouse gas emissions show that Canada’s commitment to address climate change falls far short of what’s needed.
· Large-scale carbon capture and storage for oil sands emissions is currently a distant and uncertain prospect.
· Companies are allowed to switch to burning dirtier fuels as a source of energy for oil sands extraction — further increasing greenhouse gas emissions from the oil sands.

Water Impacts
· Oil sands mining uses two to four barrels of water for every barrel of bitumen produced.
· Oil sands companies are not required to stop withdrawing water from the Athabasca River, even if flows are so low that fisheries and habitats are at serious risk.
· Capping toxic tailings waste in end pit lakes with water is an unproven and risky concept.
· For over 40 years, oil sands mining companies voluntarily managed tailings on their own, in the absence of concrete government regulations.
· Tailings lakes seep toxic waste. It is uncertain exactly what is seeping, how much is seeping and what ecosystem components are affected.
· Tailings lakes house compounds known to be acutely toxic to aquatic organisms.
· Reclamation of tailings lakes has not yet been demonstrated.

Boreal Forest Impacts
· Alberta’s oil sands underlie one-fifth of the province, and development is already planned for more than 79,000 square kilometers.
· The Athabasca Boreal Forest will not be restored to its native state following mine closure.
· Oil sands mining reclamation standards are weak and lack transparency; only one square kilometer of land has been certified as reclaimed to date.
· The security bonds that are supposed to protect Canadians from costly environmental liabilities may be inadequate.

Perhaps Alaska’s natural gas store will help America achieve oil independence. But it is going to take strong regulations to stop the spread of “the most destructive project on earth.”

Photo Coutesy of Suncor Energy

Map Courtesy of Enbridge Pipelines

More on Palin >>

From Think Progress

Palin’s First Statewide Campaign Was Fueled By Veco. “While mayor of Wasilla, Palin ran for lieutenant governor in 2002. She gathered $5,000 — or about 10 percent of her campaign fund — from Veco officials or their wives along the way.” [Anchorage Daily News, 9/6/06]

Palin’s Inauguration Was Sponsored By BP. Beyond Petroleum Exploration Inc. is listed by the Alaska Inaugural Committee as a sponsor of Palin’s 2007 Governor’s Balls. [Alaska Inaugural Committee]

Palin Is A Top Arctic Wildlife Refuge Drilling Advocate. Palin said she thinks McCain is “going to evolve into, eventually, supporting ANWR opening also” and “I’d like the opportunity to get to change his mind about ANWR.” [Kudlow & Co., 6/25/08]

Palin Opposes Lieberman’s Bill To Prevent Arctic Refuge Drilling. In a letter to Congress opposing the Arctic Wilderness Act (S. 2316), Palin wrote that “as a citizen of the United States” she believes “development [of the Refuge] should be authorized.” [Letter to Sen. Akaka, 11/9/07]

Palin Dismisses Alternative Energy. Palin said that “Congress needs to lift the ban on drilling” because “alternative-energy solutions are far from imminent and would require more than 10 years to develop.” [Charleston Post and Courier, 8/16/08]

Palin Believes It Is ‘God’s Will’ To Build A Natural Gas Pipeline. Speaking to the Wasilla Assembly of God church in June, Palin said, “I think God’s will has to be done in unifying people and companies to get that gas line built, so pray for that,” referring to a $30 billion national gas pipeline project. [Huffington Post, 9/2/08]

Related posts:

Sex, Lies and Oilgate: A Crude Analysis (Part One)
McCain’s 13-Car Footprint
Setting the Record Straight: Sarah Palin and the Bridge to Nowhere

Image source: Chovee on Flickr

<< Previous Post: On Ethics, Part Three | Foreign Policy, Part Five: Next Post >>

Now if the natural gas and land depletion aren’t enough to get you thinking; the water consumption is heinous. It takes two to four barrels of water to produce one barrel of bitumen (which is what they are really after). The used tailings are then stored, unusable, in tailings lakes, which have potential negative effects on the health of the environment and the population surrounding the contaminated area.

Oil Sands Facts

Climate Change
· Alberta’s greenhouse gas regulation does not require real reductions in emissions from oil sands operations.
· Oil sands production is much more greenhouse gas–intensive than conventional oil production.
· Oil sands are the fastest-growing source of greenhouse gas emissions in Canada.
· Continued increases in greenhouse gas emissions show that Canada’s commitment to address climate change falls far short of what’s needed.
· Large-scale carbon capture and storage for oil sands emissions is currently a distant and uncertain prospect.
· Companies are allowed to switch to burning dirtier fuels as a source of energy for oil sands extraction — further increasing greenhouse gas emissions from the oil sands.

Water Impacts
· Oil sands mining uses two to four barrels of water for every barrel of bitumen produced.
· Oil sands companies are not required to stop withdrawing water from the Athabasca River, even if flows are so low that fisheries and habitats are at serious risk.
· Capping toxic tailings waste in end pit lakes with water is an unproven and risky concept.
· For over 40 years, oil sands mining companies voluntarily managed tailings on their own, in the absence of concrete government regulations.
· Tailings lakes seep toxic waste. It is uncertain exactly what is seeping, how much is seeping and what ecosystem components are affected.
· Tailings lakes house compounds known to be acutely toxic to aquatic organisms.
· Reclamation of tailings lakes has not yet been demonstrated.

Boreal Forest Impacts
· Alberta’s oil sands underlie one-fifth of the province, and development is already planned for more than 79,000 square kilometers.
· The Athabasca Boreal Forest will not be restored to its native state following mine closure.
· Oil sands mining reclamation standards are weak and lack transparency; only one square kilometer of land has been certified as reclaimed to date.
· The security bonds that are supposed to protect Canadians from costly environmental liabilities may be inadequate.

Perhaps Alaska’s natural gas store will help America achieve oil independence. But it is going to take strong regulations to stop the spread of “the most destructive project on earth.”

Photo Coutesy of Suncor Energy

Map Courtesy of Enbridge Pipelines