The Root Word: ForestEthics Blog

The cheap and ‘easy’ oil is tapped out. Now, our US economy and cars are relying on more hazardous forms of oil to fuel our needs - like synthetic oil from Canada’s tar sands. Even worse, this type of oil is extremely costly to our environment and to our health.

To make this oil, US refineries start with a harmful mixture of chemicals called a ‘bitumen blend’. Refinery use of this toxic stew creates sulfur dioxide pollution that is hazardous to humans. Tar sands refineries are putting the health of our communities at risk.

Please take action today!

Pollution from the refineries causes asthma, heart disease, chronic headaches and nausea. And who does this growing health problem affect the most? The already disadvantaged minority communities living near tar sands refineries.

Tell the EPA to stop gambling with peoples’ lives. Under the Clean Air Act, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has the power to reduce US refinery use of ‘bitumen blends’ from Canada’s tar sands.

In fact, the EPA promised new rules for refinery pollution last December¹. Now Lisa Jackson, the agency’s top dog, says those rules must wait until after the election.

Meanwhile, many US refineries want to increase their use of dangerous tar sands chemicals. If we allow Ms. Jackson and the EPA to delay rules against refinery pollution, those disadvantaged communities near the refineries can expect more pipeline breaks, explosions, fires and threats to their health. Is the health of our citizens worth sacrificing for politics?

You can help stop this environmental and social disaster by asking the EPA to develop new refinery rules that will protect our communities from Canada’s toxic tar sands.

Tell Ms. Jackson to put politics aside and start drafting new refinery rules now.

Thank you!

Aaron Sanger
Director, US Campaigns

P.S. ForestEthics has already convinced huge US companies to leverage their buying power against US refineries using tar sands.  Tell the EPA to use its regulatory power against these refineries as well.

⁽¹⁾ "EPA won’t finish refinery rules in 2012", E2Wire The Hill's Energy and Environment Blog http://thehill.com/blogs/e2-wire/e2-wire/213239-epa-wont-finish-refinery...