EDMONTON – The joint panel that recommended the Imperial Oil Kearl oilsands project go-ahead must explain how intensity-based targets will control greenhouse gas emissions, a federal court judge has ordered.

The Kearl oilsands mine, to be located about 70 kilometres north of Fort McMurray, could produce up to 345,000 barrels of bitumen a day. The mine is expected to operate until 2060.

A coalition of environmental groups challenged the project in federal court in Edmonton earlier this year, saying the environmental assessment was inadequate on several fronts, including on the issue of greenhouse gas emissions.

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http://www.canada.com/edmontonjournal/news/story.html?id=46586a70-7589-4ee7-81b6-27e497fe0413&k=4625

Drilling for oil has hit an all-time high in Western Canada this year as companies scramble to take advantage of soaring crude prices before the muskeg thaws.

There are about 55 more rigs working this year than there were in 2007, a previous high point.

Oil prices have been strong in recent weeks, closing Wednesday at yet another record, $104.52 US, after U.S. stockpiles fell and OPEC suggested it would not boost production.

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 http://www.canada.com/calgaryherald/news/story.html?id=94fb46ad-f76a-41da-89fa-58fe4d2ba006&k=76798

Canadians are becoming familiar with the scale of destruction in the tar sands, something that First Nations of the region have known for some time now.
And people around the world are learning why our country has taken such an obstructionist role on global warming. Canada and the Bush administration stand alone against the rest of the world because with the tar sands we are housing the single most destructive project anywhere on Earth, and the Americans are getting the oil.

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http://www.trurodaily.com/index.cfm?sid=112227&sc=75 

The proposal asked the Alberta government to hold off on creating any new projects within three regions of environmental significance and little oil until January of 2011.
The Sustainable Ecosystem Working Group (SEWG), part of CEMA, is designing a system of land management and will submit it to the Alberta government in June 2008. A moratorium until January 2011, said Hobbs, would allow time for CEMA and the Alberta government to work out the final details of the new system before looking at developing these three regions.

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http://www.srj.ca/default.asp?sourceid=&smenu=88&twindow=Default&mad=No&sdetail=2551&wpage=1&skeyword=&sidate=&ccat=&ccatm=&restate=&restatus=&reoption=&retype=&repmin=&repmax=&rebed=&rebath=&subname=&pform=&sc=1957&hn=srj&he=.ca

CALGARY – Investment in Alberta’s oilsands will skyrocket to nearly $20 billion in 2008, topping spending for all manufacturing across Canada for the first time, says a report issued Wednesday that re-ignited debate about whether Alberta’s oilsands development is hurtling out of control.

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 http://www.canada.com/edmontonjournal/news/story.html?id=c1097326-bff3-4eb2-92d1-f8c2a70950f0&k=41154

CALGARY, Alberta, Feb 25 (Reuters) – Alberta will not immediately rule on a call for a temporary halt to issuing new land leases in parts of the Canadian province’s vast oil sands region, a government spokesman said on Monday.

The Cumulative Environmental Management Association (CEMA), an umbrella group that includes industry, government, aboriginal and environmental groups — and includes companies already operating in the region — has asked the Alberta government in a letter for a moratorium on leases in three areas that are being considered for environmental protection.

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http://uk.reuters.com/article/oilRpt/idUKN2526393820080225