This is a news compilation setting the record straight on the day’s top anti-oil and gas stories and providing research and facts to counter misinformation about the oil and gas industry.
News Headline:
New York Times article completely leaves out Indigenous support and uses activist talking points on emissions and spills to tear into the replacement of one of Enbridge’s main Canadian pipelines.
The Facts:
Media only covering activist talking heads don’t actually show the whole picture when it comes to protests against the Minnesota section of one of Enbridge’s main oil pipeline to Minnesota, Wisconsin, and Eastern Canada.
- The New York Times article claims the pipeline is a “tar sands” climate bomb, citing a study from a professor who did a report for the Rockefeller-funded organization 350.org, that “found” Line 3 will emit 193 megatonnes of emissions. The actual emissions are 90% less.
https://www.ceaa-acee.gc.ca/050/documents/p80091/116489E.pdf\ - The article claims that a bitumen spill from the pipeline would be almost impossible to clean up, however, research shows that bitumen will float on the surface for up to three to four weeks. Previous incidents show that over 90% of a spill can be cleaned without major environmental impacts, even in freshwater areas like the Great Lakes regions
https://vancouversun.com/news/local-news/bitumen-floats-longer-than-expected-natural-resources-canada-research-shows - The claim that oil sands mining has destroyed Canada’s boreal forest and will be impossible to reclaim is an outright lie. Since 1967, 0.03 percent of Canada’s entire boreal forest has been disturbed by oil sands mining and 8% of that has been or is being reclaimed so far.
https://context.capp.ca/energy-matters/2019/mythbuster_oil-sands-extraction-and-canadas-boreal-forest| - Despite implying in the article that First Nations are against the pipeline and are victims of corporate greed, Enbridge has reached various agreements related to Line 3 Replacement with all three of the Indigenous Tribes whose reservation land is crossed by the original Line 3 on the American side of the pipeline. They have been targeting $100 million in spending that focuses on project-related training, contracting, and hiring from Tribes.
https://www.enbridge.com/stories/2019/april/check-your-facts-forbes-l3r-built-on-indigenous-engagement - The article makes the claim that Enbridge is simply building pipelines before regulatory agencies and governments institute rules on climate change. The truth is, global energy demand is growing and Canada’s best in the world energy production can support it with the lowest impacts on the environment.
https://research-ca.bmocapitalmarkets.com/documents/140A6529-CE63-4B90-A627-06768A001783.PDF
