WA: Legislators Consider Increased Barrel Tax To Bolster Oil Safety And Accountability

photo taken March 2, 2015 near Prosser WA
(source: WA State Dept. of Ecology)
see article at KNKX.org in link below

Legislators are trying to counter the specter of more oil spills. Please encourage these legislators! Be vigilant too when new oil projects are attempted to be shimmied through without the public's awareness. Two proposed bills are discussed (audio included) in this article by KNKX.org: http://www.tinyurl.com/h7lfe49

I noticed in watching the excellent 2014 documentary "The Great Invisible" directed by Margaret Brown that none of the safety concerns surrounding the 2010 Deepwater Horizon tragedy have been addressed by BP and the other oil companies represented by CEOs including Rex Tillerson who testified before Congressional committees. Furthermore there are even more oil rigs in the Gulf of Mexico than before the disaster. Between pipelines, oil trains, tankers, oil rigs and other dangerous activities I see in the media, I get the impression that this cavalier attitude towards safety is "the norm."

USA: A push for oil train safety

Western Washington University student news article:
A push for oil train safety - The Western Front: News
On Saturday, Jan. 11, a train containing coal being transported to Vancouver, British Columbia derailed in Burnaby, British Columbia, sending seven cars containing coal into a creek, according to a statement made by Emily Hamer, a spokeswoman for CN, the company that owns the railway.
Read more...

Arctic: What will happen when Harper takes control of the Arctic?

From: Greenpeace Canada - Christy Ferguson <noreply@mailing.greenpeace.org>

Date: Wed, May 15, 2013 at 8:51 AM
Subject: What will happen when Harper takes control of the Arctic?

Today, Canada is taking over as Chair of the Arctic Council. This is terrible news for wildlife and communities of the Arctic--we need to take action right away. Take action As you and I have seen, Prime Minister Harper will do anything it takes to accelerate oil development: muzzle scientists, gut environmental regulations and deny Indigenous rights. Now, as Chair of the Arctic Council, the Harper government wants to give the oil industry a louder voice in the future of the Arctic. The Harper government claims it's doing this in the name of the people of the North. But things aren't that simple. Just this week, Indigenous groups from every Arctic state signed a statement calling for a ban on offshore drilling in the Arctic. It appears that once again the Harper government is trying to accelerate oil development at any cost. Let's stop oil spills before they start - tell Prime Minister Stephen Harper that Arctic oil drilling must not happen Earlier this year with your help, over 750,000 people sent letters to US President Barack Obama, asking him to ban Shell from drilling in the Arctic forever. Shell cancelled their plans for 2013 and backed away. Now, the world is turning its attention to Canada, as new Chair of the Arctic Council. The Arctic Council is an international forum set up to ensure the health and sustainability of the Arctic region. That means Prime Minister Stephen Harper has the power to protect wildlife and Arctic communities by preventing Arctic oil spills from happening before they start. Tell Prime Minister Harper to put people and the environment ahead of oil companies. Take action today and join the campaign to protect the Arctic. Take action In solidarity, Christy Ferguson Arctic Project Leader Greenpeace Canada