Liquid Pipeline: Extreme energy’s threat to the Great Lakes and the St. Lawrence Seaway

Liquid pipeline…-Cover

Author(s):
Maude Barlow

Date:
03.2014

Source / Publisher:
Council of Canadians

Key findings:

• Since 2005, more than 82,000 fracking wells have been drilled or permitted in the U.S.
• If shale gas reserves in the areas of just 4 Great Lakes states are developed, total water withdrawals to service these operations could exceed 148 billion litres a year.
• Chemicals used in these fracking operations pose a direct threat to the water of the Great Lakes.
• Big plans to move these energy supplies: In 2012 alone, there was a 300 % increase of oil transport by rail in the U.S. 29,000 kilometres of new crude pipelines planned in the U.S. by 2018 + Keystone XL pipeline plan.
• New plans to favour marine transport (by barge and tanker) for fracking wastewater.

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