http://www.clf.org/blog/clean-energy-climate-change/can-new-england-and-canada-achieve-frenergy/ For a thriving New England Thu, 14 Feb 2013 21:21:35 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 http://www.clf.org/blog/clean-energy-climate-change/can-new-england-and-canada-achieve-frenergy/#comment-2291 Susan Redlich Thu, 09 Aug 2012 19:03:42 +0000 http://www.clf.org/?p=10934#comment-2291 Thank you for bringing attention to the new frontier of regional renewable energy opportunities for eastern Canada and New England, especially your emphasis on “the right terms”. I question your statement though, that “the protesters had the attention of high-ranking officials from Canada.” Despite the big turnout at the demonstration and the week-long citizens’ walk through towns along the pipeline, the Conference of New England Governors and Eastern Canadian Premiers issued no statement or response to the opponents of Trailbreaker of which I am aware. The silence of the Governors Conference on the subject I think speaks for itself, in other words, the proposal is being discussed in back rooms. We need to expand the energy planning framework further, not just what can work for this region, but for the global climate. The enormity of carbon to be released by the Alberta tar sands oil field is staggering. Renewable energy development will face an uphill battle in attracting investment as long as the oil fields of Canada are in play. The demonstration in Burlington gave visibility to many groups that see the tie-in between stopping tar sands oil transport and stopping the corporate influence over politicians and resources. In the face of the power of corporations to exploit the oil reserves and fund politicians that do not take a stand against fossil fuel projects, citizens will need to present an organized opposition. The Tar Sands Free Town Initiative is one strategy I learned about on the Tar Sands Free NE website: “The Initiative connects people in local communities across the United States and parts of Canada who are fighting the expansion of tar sands in their local community. Building on model resolutions already adopted in Bellingham, Washington, individual municipalities can pass resolutions that keep fuel from tar sands refineries out of their towns. Although tar sands oil itself hasn’t yet entered New England, fuel from refineries using tar sands is being distributed across New England, so municipalities must take action to avoid buying this fuel that supports the tar sands. Also, pipeline companies appear to be taking steps to bring tar sands directly to the eastern seaboard. Municipal resolutions can take a stand against these tar sands plans as well.” Thank you for bringing attention to the new frontier of regional renewable energy opportunities for eastern Canada and New England, especially your emphasis on “the right terms”. I question your statement though, that “the protesters had the attention of high-ranking officials from Canada.” Despite the big turnout at the demonstration and the week-long citizens’ walk through towns along the pipeline, the Conference of New England Governors and Eastern Canadian Premiers issued no statement or response to the opponents of Trailbreaker of which I am aware. The silence of the Governors Conference on the subject I think speaks for itself, in other words, the proposal is being discussed in back rooms.
We need to expand the energy planning framework further, not just what can work for this region, but for the global climate. The enormity of carbon to be released by the Alberta tar sands oil field is staggering. Renewable energy development will face an uphill battle in attracting investment as long as the oil fields of Canada are in play. The demonstration in Burlington gave visibility to many groups that see the tie-in between stopping tar sands oil transport and stopping the corporate influence over politicians and resources.
In the face of the power of corporations to exploit the oil reserves and fund politicians that do not take a stand against fossil fuel projects, citizens will need to present an organized opposition. The Tar Sands Free Town Initiative is one strategy I learned about on the Tar Sands Free NE website: “The Initiative connects people in local communities across the United States and parts of Canada who are fighting the expansion of tar sands in their local community. Building on model resolutions already adopted in Bellingham, Washington, individual municipalities can pass resolutions that keep fuel from tar sands refineries out of their towns. Although tar sands oil itself hasn’t yet entered New England, fuel from refineries using tar sands is being distributed across New England, so municipalities must take action to avoid buying this fuel that supports the tar sands. Also, pipeline companies appear to be taking steps to bring tar sands directly to the eastern seaboard. Municipal resolutions can take a stand against these tar sands plans as well.”

]]> http://www.clf.org/blog/clean-energy-climate-change/can-new-england-and-canada-achieve-frenergy/#comment-2289 ann Tue, 07 Aug 2012 10:48:10 +0000 http://www.clf.org/?p=10934#comment-2289 No matter how you slice it legally or "separationistically", mega-hydro is not renewable energy. No matter how you slice it legally or “separationistically”, mega-hydro is not renewable energy.

]]> http://www.clf.org/blog/clean-energy-climate-change/can-new-england-and-canada-achieve-frenergy/#comment-2286 Bob Bousquet Mon, 06 Aug 2012 17:44:42 +0000 http://www.clf.org/?p=10934#comment-2286 With our mutually extensive border areas that are most abundant in wind, solar, current & tidal energy resources; we should be working & pooling our cooperation, together, in order to bring about real solutions in enabling the real uses of these natural resources...& get ourselves off of fossil fuels asap. We also have many volcanic & geo-thermal sites that should be explored & brought into use...these resources are there, continually, & naturally. With our mutually extensive border areas that are most abundant in wind, solar, current & tidal energy resources; we should be working & pooling our cooperation, together, in order to bring about real solutions in enabling the real uses of these natural resources…& get ourselves off of fossil fuels asap. We also have many volcanic & geo-thermal sites that should be explored & brought into use…these resources are there, continually, & naturally.

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