The Tyee, British Columbia’s premier independent online newspaper, is currently running a series of articles titled “The War Over the Oil Sands” which is shedding light on the controversy in Washington DC over the Alberta’s oil sands. The Series’ webpage can be found here: http://thetyee.ca/Series/2011/03/15/WarOverOilSands/
In this major series, The Tyee energy reporter Geoff Dembicki reports from America’s capital on the intense, high stakes political struggle there fueled by Alberta crude. Canadian politicians, allied with oil lobbyists, are battling environmental groups for the hearts and minds of U.S. politicians with the power to vote either a free flowing future for the oil sands, or climate change legislation that severely crimps Alberta’s markets.
This multi-part series begins with three stories this week and will feature many more in the coming weeks. The first article primes the reader for the conflict between environmental NGOs and the monolith of Canadian politicians and the industry’s lobby groups. This macro-view of the debate is then illustrated by the second and third articles, which are essentially an interview with Tom Corcoran, a former Republican congressman who now advocates on behalf of Alberta’s oil sands. During his afternoon with Tom, Mr. Dembicki looks at the passing of The Energy Security and Independence Act of 2007, and section 526 of the act which is meant to limit the import of “unconventional fuels” and has led to the current conflict.
Stay tuned to the Tyee for the next couple of weeks; this is truly original and in-depth journalism at its best.
SEEDS 