Dirty Tar Sands Threaten Health, Safety and Economic Development in Texas

Proposed Route Crosses East Texas to Port Arthur and Houston
map provided by TransCanada

The proposed pipeline, if built, would run across sensitive east Texas wildlands and end at two terminals on the Texas coast – one in Port Arthur, the other in Houston. Hearings were held in east Texas towns but no hearing has been held in Houston. The tar sands pipeline should concern all Houstonites because this dirty fuel would be refined in Houston and cause worse air quality problems for our region.

A public comment period on the proposal closes on June 15. More information is available at www.sierraclub.org/stopthepipe.

BACKGROUND INFO:
Over its lifecycle – the synthetic crude oil produced from tar sands emits 20% more global warming pollution than conventional oil. Furthermore, because tar sands oil is a heavier crude, the U.S. refineries that process it, will produce higher levels of pollutants leading to more smog, haze and acid rain.

Replacing 900,000 barrels per day of conventional oil with tar sands oil – the amount this pipeline would carry - would result in approximately 38 million metric tons of additional greenhouse gas emissions per year, equal to adding over 6 million cars to our roads. The U.S. transportation sector already accounts for one third of our global warming emissions. We cannot afford to increase these emissions through the importation and use of tar sands oil.

The pipeline is designed to cross 554 acres of wetlands and 91 streams that support recreational or commercial fisheries; 32 of those streams are in Texas! The State Department’s document addresses the potential for spills saying, “The locations of greatest concern for potential oil spills would be in sensitive environmental areas, especially wetlands, flowing streams and rivers, and water intakes for drinking water or commercial/industrial users.”