A Message from Hans Voss, Executive Director of the non-profit, advocacy group Michigan Land Use Institute
(A Brief Foreword by Niagara At Large publisher Doug Draper – A growing number of advocacy groups throughout the Great Lakes region are raising concerns about a plan by the petroleum corporation Enbridge to pipe tar sands material from Albert through the Great Lakes region to a destination in the northeastern United States. And there should be little wonder why.
Enbridge hardly has a sterling record when it comes to maintenance and preventing leaks from its pipelines and it is now talking about piping a crude oil product through a Great Lakes region – check out the map of the pipeline route below – that hosts one fifth of the world’s fresh water for tens of millions of citizens on both sides of the border and a fishery worth billions of dollars. A serious leak of petroleum-based material into these waters could be catastrophic, not only for towns and cities around the lakes, but for communities downstream along the St. Lawrence River.
So now the Michigan Land Use Institute is joinng the Canadian Association of Physicians for the Environment, Greenpeace Canada, Toronto-based Environmental Defense, Ontario’s New Democratic Party and others in demanding that federal, provincial and state governments to reconsider this plan. Please read the following message from Michigan Land Use Insistute director Hans Vass and consider getting engaged, if you are not already, in this important issue.)
Greetings!
Michigan Land Use Institute director Hans Vass
MLUI has hopped into the middle of a what I think is one of the most pressing, if not the most pressing, issues confronting the future of the Great Lakes: the risk posed by 60-year-old oil pipelines submerged beneath the Straits of Mackinac. Now the company that owns them may increase the pipelines’ capacity, potentially carrying dangerous tar sands oil from Canada.
While MLUI already has a lot going on toward advancing our goals on clean energy, food and farming, and smart growth, we felt like we had a real obligation to get involved.
So we partnered with an active group of northwest Michigan citizens to organize a big rally on Sunday July 14 at noon at the Mackinac Bridge to raise awareness about the risk to the Great Lakes and start a major citizen campaign to call upon leaders to reduce the risk of a pipeline break.
If you are motivated to get involved, you can help in a number of ways.
We have no budget for this work. With the rally coming up this weekend, and as we look out over the remainder of the year, it is clear that in order to make a difference we need to raise considerable funds.
The pipeling route, including the Line 9 section in Ontario, running through the Great Lakes region to the shores of Maine
We are encouraging people to donate to this event by going online at www.mlui.org/donate, making a contribution that suits you, and marking “Rally” in the notes field. It’s that simple. And then, we’re off–to the rally on Sunday, to the media who cover it, and to the world of people who care about this precious, and globally unique water resource.
Thanks a lot for your consideration of this special opportunity!
~Hans Voss, Executive Director
The Michigan Land Use Institute is a nonprofit advocacy organization that protects the environment, strengthens the economy, and builds community. The organization collaborates with citizens, government, businesses, and organizations to innovate models for resilience and prosperity. Learn more about this organization by clicking on http://www.mlui.org/ .
(Niagara At Large invites you to join in the conversation by sharing your views on the content of this post below. For reasons of transparency and promoting civil dialogue, NAL only posts comments from individuals who share their first and last name with their views.)
Niagara At Large 
These are old pipes (in Flamborough, about 38 years old) that were never designed for diluted bitumen. Now that the federal government has vacated jurisdiction (except in con ridings), Enbridge will not be forced to adhere to “reasonable” safety precautions. Almost guaranteed that there will be leaks, burst pipes etc.
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Mr. Hans Voss, Executive Director of the nonprofit MLUI is appealing for donations for his organization.
Of course he doesn’t works as a ‘volunteer without pay’ as with so many other leaders of nonprofit and not for profit groups. By the time the head honchos get paid there certainly is no profit. That is one thing these groups have in common with much of the private sector these days. No profit!
It doesn’t matter what the issue is as long as they can capitalize on the issue. We have so many nonprofit and not for profit entities gobbling up precious resources of which could and should be put to better use.
Mr. Voss says that his ‘Michigan Land Use Institute is a nonprofit advocacy organization that protects the environment, strengthens the economy, and builds community’. Sounds good but what is he proffering. Is he advocating that the fuel needed to heat his house, generate his electricity, power his car, cook his meals, pump his water or his many other needs should not be delivered to him? Since the green alternatives are not yet viable is Mr. Voss prepared to be one of valiant volunteers to do without these amenities until these green alternatives do become viable?
In just five years the volumes of East/West rail tanker traffic through Quebec has gone from 500 to 140,000 and rated 3 times more vulnerable than pipelines! Now we have over 50 dead Canadians from one tanker train blast! Furthermore, these rail tankers run though dense urban areas, through the heart of towns and cities and even past hospitals etc. Does he prefer rail tankers over pipelines or does he mean no delivery at all?
Does anyone believe that the transport of fuels is going to stop any time soon?
Hardly likely!
Do these groups offer other positive suggestions?
What they really offer is a steady drumbeat of ‘the sky is falling!’
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Maybe he is trying to get as rich as those psuedo-greens David Suzuki and Al Gore.
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This kind of comment—an ad hominem attack followed by ridicule of people who would seek to question the wisdom of governments whose allegiance to corporations is putting the future at risk—is entirely predictable to anyone who follows federal politics. What has happened to the state of public discourse when apparently intelligent people confuse sophistry with serious argument?? Surely you can do better than this, Mr. Haskell.
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Ms. McMurran, apparently you do not know Mr. Haskell as well as some others do. Civil Public Discourse is of no interest to him, I am told. Some would say he just rants Neo-Con anti-left everything. “I couldn’t possibly comment” to quote a current political television character in House of Cards.
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To his credit, Mr Voss is responding intelligently and cooperatively to the fact that over 97% of experts in the field of climatology now consensually agree that anthropogenically induced Climate Chaos is real, it is geometrically intensifying, and, it is at this point completely obvious to anyone capable of [must have head out of one’s ass] observing: the record breaking floods in India, Europe, and in Canada .. the record breaking temperature levels throughout the globe [oceans in particular as the atmosphere accounts for only 2-3% of total long term temperature rise] .. the massive and unseasonal forest fires in the USA and in Australia .. the four mile wide/300 mile an hour tornados and category five hurricanes killing thousands across the south and as far north as New York and New Jersey .. the prodigious annihilation of the polar ice caps/ mountain glaciers/sources of fresh water/etc. So -obviously- only a complete ignoramus who’s eyes are wide-shut could deny the fact that the consequences of our actions in aggregate -injecting hundreds of thousands of tons, for purposes of convenience and obscene profit for a tiny minority of Earth’s citizens, of poison into the biosphere each and everyday and for decades- are now manifesting to a point such that mass extinction, uncontrollable destruction of property, and climate related megadeath are now normal occurrences – mostly caused by the sociologically obsolete worship of [ecocidal] production methods in combination with the religion of [over-]consumption ..along with the forever-accumulating garbage, ***the inglorious suppression of clean energy technology and clean energy technologists***, and the spiritual retardation both require. Kids -members of “The Future” never The Now: WRITE THESE FOSSILIZED CHEERLEADERS FOR UN-SUSTAINABLITY AND CORPORATE EXPLOITATION, OFF. They’re only fooling themselves and with one foot in the grave, to boot. Instead, put your faith in the planet’s ability to defend itself as well as your own jealousy-invoking capabilities to innovate, to unify, and to adapt to a changing environment. ————————————————————————————>http://www.guardian.co.uk/environment/climate-consensus-97-per-cent/2013/may/28/global-warming-consensus-climate-denialism-characteristics
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To maybe clear up some of the mud that is floating around Line 9 — it will be delivering Lighter crude to the east . Something similar that is being shipped west now . Nothing Like the proposed product for Key Stone .
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Poison with the approximate viscosity of peanut butter [and/or bull shit] is what characterizes the obsolete-ecocidal-pathogenic crap this one-trick-pony -“Da Harper Government”- is attempting to market to the outside world; it’s a character deficiency problem! ..and obvious hallmark of right-wing gerontocracy, kids. To repeat: “WRITE THESE FOSSILIZED CHEERLEADERS FOR UN-SUSTAINABLITY AND CORPORATE EXPLOITATION, OFF. They’re only fooling themselves and with one foot in the grave -ass high- to boot.” ——> http://www.foreignpolicy.com/articles/2013/06/24/oh_canada
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Line 9 reversal is all about transporting diluted bitumen. Dil-bit has viscosity like peanut butter, it is abrasive, it heats when flowing, and it contains carcinogenic condensates to make it flow. The Line 9 pipe, 38 years old, was never designed for this. It was designed for light crude. I spent a great deal of time at the pumping station protest/blockade, and I wrote an article about it, which is also on the 350.org website/blog. Guaranteed, if this goes through, there will be disasters, particularly since the Harper Regime’s regulatory oversight is abysmal. I would characterize the project as eco-terrorism in the making.
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Mr. Holbourne’s information reflects Enbridge’s initial application to the NEB; however, the company has since been more forthcoming about its plans for Line 9.
From a January, 2013, CBC article:
‘The reversal of a pipeline between Sarnia, Ont. and Montreal to carry Western crude oil east is an exercise in good public relations, says Natural Resources Minister Joe Oliver.
Enbridge’s Line 9 would show eastern Canadians the benefits of Alberta oilsands development, argues Oliver.
‘Certainly, we have found that the farther away the resource is the less people are comfortable with it. If you bring the resource to them, they’re helping to develop it, it creates added value in Canada,’ he added
Enbridge has filed a preliminary application with the National Energy Board to reverse a section of the pipe between North Westover, Ont. (near Hamilton) and Montreal. The company already has NEB permission to reverse the flow between Sarnia and North Westover. The company plans to ship light crude oil to the Suncor refinery in Montreal to meet growing demand.
… In its latest document filed with the NEB, the pipeline company says they would like to ship heavier crudes — like oilsands bitumen — at a later date.”
Oliver’s remarks certainly seem to indicate that the Harper government will support Enbridge’s plans to ship Alberta dilbit (bitumen) east via Line 9.
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Thanks Fiona for updating me on Enbridges future intentions of piping Dilbit . I am opposed to that product myself ! But it should be realized that the only reason that they are moving Dilbit is there is a market for it . . The reason keystone has dilbit is because the American Refineries ( some are 80 years old ) want it because they are geared to handle this courser crude because they refine simalar crude from Venazuela and Califonia . Thus they want this cheaper form of Crude from Canada . To accomadate THEIR desire Suncor has shelved it’s huge upgrader projects that would of negated the need to doctor this basic crude to be shipped . Thus our fight should be with the end user to demand that the more refined crude be shipped . It is obvious from everyone and including the passion expressed on this site that dilbit shipments should not occur because there is an alternative ! We do not see protestors chaining themselves to the other 840 pipe lines that criss cross North America so I am assuming it is the dilbit . Just an aside to all the protestors who drive anywhere to protest the shipment of crude or anything else —- What you are driving on is what they call the BOTTOMS of the refining process . In other words Ashphalt is loded with the dregs of the crude that has been boiled ,cooked and separated and the remaining Goo is spread on your roads . With out a whit we spread this stuff from coast to coast to everyones doorstep . Talk about the biggest MAN MADE OIL SPILL in History . So I encourage everyone to encourage our Scientist to come up with an alternative that is pearmeable ( for ground water acceptance ) yet as atleast as durable as the 15 year ( if were lucky ) lifespan of the junk we use today to build our roads !
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The dilbit is destined for offshore i.e China. China’s requirement is that China upgrades/refines the dilbit. This way, they get the value-added jobs, and they can pollute all they want, since environmental concerns are not their current priority in this matter. Ironically, though, China is cornering the market in alternate energies as well. Meanwhile, our government wants a higher price for the product, so prices at the pump will rise. There’s a whole complex of issues, foremost of which would be global warming, which make these schemes irresponsible and counter-productive. And yes, there will be spills/burst pipes in the Great Lakes Basin, the private , limited liability company will go bankrupt, and the public will be asked to pay for the mess, as per usual.
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Mark I agree that the jobs that would flow to China make no sense . If we both agree that the world will get it’s oil production from any where it can even if it can’t get it from Alberta . Then wouldn’t it make sense on a world green House Gas Production Bases to refine it hear in Canada where we have more control over the refining process . Not to mention the added value jobs paying taxes into a jurisdiction that treats their citizens much better than some third world Countries . The Alberta Gov. should develop a backbone and say that NO DILBIT will be shipped from this Province and demand the building of Up graders to lighten this form of Crude . The Gov. Of Canada should also demand this requirement. This alone would make it useful for old and new refining capacity in Canada therefore furthering the savings to our economy !
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Agreed. It should be refined here. If we don’t have the refineries, then we can build them. We should not be allowing China Inc. to control the process.
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Cheers Mark J-) John —
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