Archive for December 24th, 2011

Politics stamps out oil sands pipeline, yet it seems likely to endure

New York Times: The Obama administration confirmed this week that a provision in the payroll tax bill requiring a quick decision on the proposed Keystone XL oil pipeline from western Canada to the Gulf Coast will probably lead to cancellation of the project. But does that mean the $7 billion pipeline project is dead forever? Will its cancellation curb the inexorable global demand for the exploitation of Canada’s huge oil sands deposits? Will it affect the concentration of atmospheric carbon dioxide in beneficial...

United States: Water pollution: Acid drainage not just a mine issue anymore

Globe and Mail: Colorado's Snake River carves a swift path from snowmelt sources in the Rocky Mountains through decaying remnants of the state's more-than-century-old mining history and the heart of its busy winter resort region before spilling into the Blue River and eventually feeding the Colorado. The Snake's waters are pulled in all directions. Plagued by mining pollution, siphoned by local towns and ski developments, and prodded by fishermen and scientists, the river has become a poster child for how competing...