Tar Sands Refining and Air Quality

Bringing Climate Justice Home:

Tar Sands RefiningandAir Quality in the Salt Lake ValleyWho we arePeaceful Uprising is a climate justice group based in Salt Lake City, Utah.

Climate justice is working at the intersections of environmental degradation and the racial, social, and economic inequities it perpetuates.

We work with the awareness that some communities are affected more than others by climate change and all its causes, and that the voices of many are marginalized. Those are the people we strive to take leadership fromthe most affected, and the most disenfranchised.

2The campaign to stop tar sands miningand refiningin UtahA Canadian start-up called U.S. Oil Sands hopes to start mining tar sands on state lands in 2014.

This would be the first commercial tar sands operation in the U.S.

The tarry oil would be refined in North Salt Lake, and potentially also in a refinery in Green River.

We believe we have the power to stop it, if we work together as a community.A Canadian start-up called U.S. Oil Sands hopes to start mining tar sands on state lands in 2014. This would be the first commercial tar sands operation in the U.S.

The tarry oil would be refined in North Salt Lake, and potentially also in a refinery in Green River.

We believe we have the power to stop this from happening, if we work together as a community. Otherwise, we wouldnt be here right now. There are lots of people across the state and in Colorado who are working to protect our shared resources. Those of us here in Salt Lake are an important component of the larger campaign to stop tar sands mining and refining in the U.S., because were at ground zero of its air quality impacts.3The land at risk

There is no reclamation.

This is what would happen to the land, and to hundreds of thousands, if not millions, of acres in the west if the mining is allowed to happen.

There is no reclamation in a human time frame.5Sacrifice ZonesA sacrifice zone is a place where peoples health and environment are sacrificed for profit.

Do YOU livein a sacrificezone?

Sacrifice zones are a crucial concept in the climate justice framework. The people who live in a sacrifice zone are seen as somehow less worthy of health and safety protections. The air, water, or land they rely on is devastated by an environmental hazard. Refinery communities are a classic example. Refineries are typically established in low-income areas of town, and often low-income Latino or African-American communities, or other non-white communities, suffer from constant exposure to toxic air.

Refineries expanding to handle tar sands are typically in areas that already have some of the worst air quality in the nation, like North Salt Lake. In other words, these expansions are cropping up in existing sacrifice zones, putting the most vulnerable communities at even more risk.6Environmental injusticeThe most historically marginalized communities often bear the brunt of the health impacts that stem from oil refining and other dirty industries.

Kids from low-income families have a disproportionate likelihood of being exposed to dangerous levels of toxins during their childhood.

People of all economic classes are at risk in the Salt Lake Valley, although wealthier folks may have more ability to move away from the refinery area if they choose.The most historically marginalized communitieswho are still marginalized todaybear the brunt of the health impacts from dirty industries like tar sands refining.

Kids from low-income families are exposed constantly to pollution that can give them asthma or diseases like leukemia.

In the Salt Lake Valley, people of all economic classes are at risk. However, wealthier folks often have more ability to move away if they choose, or arent living quite as close to the refinery area.7Communities at riskManchester, Texas, where the 90% Latino community is surrounded by refineries that spew at least 8 carcinogens into the air.

Detroit, Michigan, where people have watched as a mountain of petcokepetroleum coke, a hazardous byproduct of tar sandsarose by the Detroit River.

North Salt Lake, Utah, where Chevron is already refining tar sands oil from Canada, and where other refineries like Tesoro are planning to expand to process tar sands oil.Tar sands pipelines bringing bitumen from Canada have been reaching into many cities in the U.S., including Salt Lake. Chevron is already processing tar sands oil from Canada in North Salt Lake. You may have heard about the Keystone XL pipeline, which would carry tar sands oil from Canada to Houston if President Obama approves it.

Manchester, Texas. Refineries surround this neighborhood in Houston, one of the most polluted cities in the U.S., the 90% Latino community. Some of these refineries process tar sands. People breathe in at least 8 carcinogens. If the Keystone XL pipeline is built, it will carry tar sands there to be refined, making things even worse.

A Yes! magazine article from earlier in 2013 says: Manchester is in some ways typical of low-income urban neighborhoods: its almost entirely Latino and African American, with a large number of undocumented immigrants. A full third of residents live below the poverty line. Drugs, unemployment, and gangs are a problem. And theres a strange smell in the air: sometimes sweet, sometimes sulfurous, often reeking of diesel. The most striking thing is that people here always seem to be sick. They have chronic headaches, nosebleeds, sore throats, and red sores on their skin that take months to heal.

Detroit, Michigan. In Detroit, people have watched as a three-story mountain of petcokepetroleum coke, a hazardous byproduct of tar sandsarose by the Detroit River. As oil is released from tar-like bitumen during the refining process, petcoke is one of the byproducts left behind. It can be used as a fuel, though its hazardous to air. Its been blowing through Detroits air before it was ever burned as a fuel, thoughthe petcoke by the Detroit River would sometimes blow across the river and through the air. Community members organized together and demanded it be removed. Its scheduled to be gone by August 27, but the tar sands refineries in Detroit continue to threaten peoples health.

One Detroit resident, Theresa Shaw, told the publication Mother Jones about how she felt on a bad air day last fall. I started smelling it on Thursday, said Shaw, who immediately suspected the Marathon Petroleum Co. refinery a half-mile from her house. I kept the windows closed because I couldn't breathe. On Friday, I thought, 'What the heck are they doing?' My eyes were just burning, my throat was hurting, my stomach was hurting. I was having migraine headaches. The smell, it was like this burning tar, with that benzene and that sulfur. I wanted to scream.

But, people are acting. Not everyone may be in a position to act, I want to acknowledge. A parent working two jobs and dealing with a child who is seriously ill might not have time or energy to organize. But a lot of people who are directly affected are finding ways to stand up against dirty energy. In Manchester, community members have joined with the group Tar Sands Blockade, which has been working to block construction of the Keystone XL pipeline. Theyve organized acts of protest at the Valero refinery, which would process a lot of the incoming tar sands, and at corporate officers, and they continue to organize their community. In Detroit, communities have formed the Detroit Coalition Against Tar Sands and the Michigan Coalition Against Tar Sands to address petcoke and ongoing health hazards from refining tar sands oil.8

In Manchester, Houston, children play in a park in the shadow of a refinery, with a flare going strong.9

This is a picture of the petcoke blowing across the Detroit River, taken by the Michican Coalition Against Tar Sands.10Jobs cant fix cancer.Refining tar sands oil leads to respiratory diseases, cancers, asthma, and many other health problems.

Residents of the Wasatch Front already die an average of 2 years early.Companies planning to refine tar sands try to lure people in with promises of jobs. But what if the job puts the worker and his or her entire family at risk? What about community members who dont benefit from jobs at all, and still suffer from health problems and high medical bills?

Tar sands refining exposes people to the risk of developing cancer, respiratory disease, asthma, and many other ailments. Imagine what this would do to the people who are already the most vulnerable in our area, like children with asthma.

Scaling up refineries to process tar sands might create a few jobs, but at the expense of public health.

Residents of the Wasatch Front already die an average of two years too early, according to the Utah Physicians for a Healthy Environment.

11What are tar sands?Tar sands are sedimentary rocks that contain bitumen, a heavy hydrocarbon.

Bitumen can be turned into usable oil through a lengthy process that requires a tremendous amount of energy.

In the Colorado Plateau, tar sands deposits are typically as hard as asphalt.Tar sands are sedimentary rocks that contain bitumen, a heavy hydrocarbon. Bitumen can be turned into usable but low-grade oil through a lengthy process. Refining it into usable oil requires a tremendous amount of energy. And extracting bitumen from rock requires a tremendous amount of energy itself, so all told, the energy return is extremely low.

In the Colorado Plateau, tar sands deposits are typically as hard as asphalt. In fact, for many years they were used only to make roads.12

A toxic brewToxins like arsenic and mercury are present in tar sands deposits.

To make the bitumen liquid enough to flow, companies dilute it with a concoction of other dangerous substancesnotably, carcinogens like benzene.

This aids in transport, but poses a severe threat in the form of a spill or daily air pollution.

Tar sands hold toxic substances that are better left fixed in the ground than released into the air and water.Like mountaintop removal mining, releasing dangerous toxins like arsenic and mercury puts peoples health at risk.

Furthermore, the tarry bitumen is diluted with a mix of substances like benzene, which is a carcinogen, to make it flow. Otherwise, its too thickto really move. When its refined, this chemical cocktail is released into the air along with the harmful stuff that was already present in the ground.

For these reasons, tar sands spills are also extremely hazardous, and because the oil is so heavy, it sinks to the bottom of waterways and is even more difficult to clean up than regular crude.14A scene from Exxons 2013 mayflower, arkansas tar sands spill

You may remember that in April 2013, Exxon spilled tar sands oil through the town of Mayflower, Arkansas, where it flooded the streets and ran into the wetlands, killing off all life and making people sick. Exxon dumped paper towels over the spill in some areas, in a misguided attempt to clean up a situation that can never be remedied.15Oil shaleOil shale is very similarits rock containing oil.

It is basically premature oil with half the energy density of prunes, one fourth the energy content of recycled phone books. ~Utah Physicians for a Healthy Environment

Like tar sands, its never been done commercially yet in the U.S.

The health and environmental impacts of mining and refining oil shale are roughly the same as for tar sands.

The oil gained from oil shale rock is called kerogen.Oil shale is another kind of oil-containing rock. Processing it is equally energy-intensive and destructive. The impacts of mining and refining it are about the same as for tar sands. Large areas of earth must be strip mined or baked to get oil out of it. Like oil from tar sands, this oil is extremely low-grade and must undergo heavy, energy-intensive processing. The air quality impacts of refining it are about the same as those of tar sands.16Air contaminantsSulfur dioxide

Nitrogen oxide

Carbon monoxide

Particulate matter

Volatile organic compounds (VOCs)

Benzene

Formaldehyde

Other toxins

CO2

Ozone

A large number of toxins are unleashed during the refining of the oil from tar sands or oil shale. Sulfur dioxide, nitrogen oxide, carbon monoxide, and volatile organic compounds are a few primary ones.

Refining tar sands oil also releases particular matter, including fine particulate matter. Fine particular matter is about 1/30 the width of a human hair, so it can lodge deeply in the lungs, keeping it trapped there and affecting the respiratory system. The Wasatch Front already has one of the most dangerous levels of fine particulate matter in the nation.

Bitumen, the oil extracted from tar sands, has to be diluted with dangerous compounds like benzene for transport. The bitumen thats being refined is a cocktail of toxic substances that should never be in the air we breathe. Some of these toxins, like benzene, are known carcinogens.

The release of CO2 contributes to climate change, and so does all the energy expended in mining, transporting, and refining the oil. Producing usable oil from tar sands creates 4-6 times the CO2 as regular crude, according to the Utah Physicians for a Healthy Environment.

High levels of ozone are already a huge problem in Utah. The American Lung Association gave the Wasatch Front an air quality grade of F for its high concentrations of ozone.17Health impactsCardiovascular disease

Respiratory problems

Fetal development issues

Cancers

Infertility

Immune suppression

Emotional disordersTar sands and oil shale refining cause many serious health impacts. Since many people are already suffering from some of these impacts, it would put our most vulnerable community members at even more risk.

Impacts include cardiovascular diseasethings like tightening of blood vessels, higher blood pressure, increased risk of stroke.Respiratory diseases and lung cancer,Fetal development problems,Cancers like breast cancer and leukemia,Immune suppression,And many other conditions like emotional disorders have been closely connected to air quality issues as well.

18Ask the epaThe EPA itself says, oil shale and tar sands development processes may have significant, adverse impacts to air quality, in particular by increasing levels of ozone and nitrogen deposition.

Yet the EPA is not making any moves to block the refining here in the Wasatch Front.

Remember what it means to be a sacrifice zone?The EPA itself says, oil shale and tar sands development processes may have significant, adverse impacts to air quality, in particular by increasing levels of ozone and nitrogen deposition.

Yet the EPA is not making any moves to block the refining here in the Wasatch Front.

Remember what it means to be a sacrifice zone?19Simple physics dictates that low energy fuels require themselves the application of large amounts of energy to render useful and will result in four to six times more CO2 and other pollution than conventionally drilled oil.

~Utah Physicians for a Healthy EnvironmentRegarding carbon dioxide, the Utah Physicians for a Healthy Environment say, Simple physics dictates that low energy fuels require themselves the application of large amounts of energy to render useful and will result in four to six times more CO2 and other pollution than conventionally drilled oil.20petcokeA byproduct of bitumen, petcoke is used as a fuel.

Its one of the most toxic fuels in the world.

A power plant was gearing up to use petcoke in the North Salt Lake area, but residents defeated this plan in 2009.As mentioned, petcoke is a byproduct of bitumen that can be burnt as a fuel, like coal. It looks and feels a lot like coal as well. Its one of the most hazardous fuels in the world. Refining bitumen creates massive stockpiles of petcoke, like the pile by the Detroit River.

In North Salt Lake, residents stopped a power plant from going ahead with its plan to use petcoke in 2009. Why, then, would we let petcoke be produced in North Salt Lake?21Workers rights and public safetyOn average, a safety violation occurs every nine days at the five facilities bordering S.L., Davis counties. ~Salt Lake Tribune

Chevron, Tesoro, and Holly are planning substantial expansions. Imagine how this will affect their safety records.

The 2009 Silver Eagle refinery explosion was just one of the most visible safety violations.

Chevron is notorious for safety violations, like the fire at its Richmond, California facility in 2012.

On Sept. 1, 2012, a Holly refinery explosion spewed oil up to a mile, landing on peoples homes and yards. These visible occurrences garner much public attention, but we dont see many of the more severe violations. A Salt Lake Tribune article reporting this accident stated: Records show that a leak, spill, fire, blast or air-pollution violation occurs, on average, every nine days at the five refineries bordering Salt Lake and Davis counties.

Chevron is notorious for safety violations that affect the public and workers. In 2012, a fire at its Richmond, California facility sent 15,000 people to the emergency room with respiratory problems and other issues.

There are only 6 compliance inspectors in Utah who are trained in process safety management for refineries, as a Salt Lake Trib article reported last year, showing theres much work that needs to be done in the way of improving refinery safety.22Other major impactsAir and climate impacts are not the only major impacts.

Others include:

Using vast amounts of water, which we dont have in the west.

Polluting water sources with toxins, putting at risk the 40 million water drinkers who rely on the Colorado.

Destroying vast portions of our most beautiful wilderness areas forever.Many other impacts of tar sands and oil shale refining would jeopardize our future, aside from the devastating air and climate impacts.

Water impacts are also particularly severe. Tar sands and oil shale mining use massive amounts of water, and we dont have extra water rights to give away in the west. In fact, as the climate is warming, our existing water sources are diminishing. The Southern Nevada Water Authority has already called for federal disaster relief to address the drying of the Colorado. How could we take large amounts of water from the Colorado and give it to foolhardy industries like tar sands and oil shale?

If that were done, it would mean taking water away from communities and farmers. Human beings would pay the price.

The Colorado and other water sources could also be poisoned by toxins that cause cancers, birth defects, and mutations. This is happening downriver from the tar sands of Alberta, Canada. The indigenous communities downstream are plagued with high rates of rare cancers, and theyve been warned not to each the fish or other wildlife theyve historically relied onthough often, they have no choice.

And of course, bulldozing vast areas of our most beautiful wilderness forever would affect Utahs regional economies.23

In a recent action up at the mine site, indigenous people and allies held a ceremony calling for protection of our waters from tar sands mining. 24Governmental corruptionThe School and Institutional Trust Lands Administration, or SITLA, is the state agency leasing out lands for tar sands and oil shale development.

Currently theyve leased 32,000 acres to U.S. Oil Sands, the company hoping to mine in eastern Utah in the coming year.

SITLA is charged with managing public lands for the long-term good of our public schools. However, the schools are only getting a tiny portion of the royalties from leases, and that the mining and refining would utterly devastate the resources we depend onour water and air.

The School and Institutional Trust Lands Administration, or SITLA, is the state agency leasing out lands for tar sands and oil shale development.

Theyve already leased 32,000 acres to U.S. Oil Sands, the company hoping to mine in eastern Utah in the coming year, and have leased roughly that amount for oil shale development.

The BLM has agreed to open 830,000 acres of federal public lands for tar sands and oil shale development, though it hasnt started yet on these lands.

SITLAs mission states that it must manage Utahs state public lands for the long-term good of our public schools. The schools get only about 1% of the royalties from the leases, however, and the mining and refining would render our air and water toxic. Is it fair to tell children suffering from leukemia, or severe asthma, that this refining is being done for their education? Even for children who survive childhood without suffering any such repercussions, were putting them at a serious health disadvantage and leaving them with a huge mess to clean up.25Destroying our future Photo c/o Luca Galuzzi

Our wilderness heritage stands at risk also.Beautiful national park views stand to be compromised by dusty air.This would harm regional economies and livelihoods.

Not only our lungs are at riskour regional heritage is too. Many people who work in Utahs tourism industry, or indirectly depend on tourism in their regional economy, are at risk.

National park views would be obscured from the haze of dust created by massive strip-mines, roads, and trucking of oil. Many tar sands and oil shale deposits sit within close proximity of national parksthe BLM has a list of dozens of major parks and wilderness areas, like Escalante and Arches, that stand to be affected.

Areas like the San Raphael Swell could actually be strip-mined, destroying some of our most unique places forever.26Resistance!We have a strong history of resistance to dangerous projects in Salt Lake.

The Richmond community forced Chevron to make amends, even if it was a case of far too little, far too late.

The mining, refining, and transport of tar sands is bringing communities together. Powerful coalitions are forming to protect our shared resources and ensure a livable future!In Salt Lake City, weve successfully resisted dangerous projects in the past. Yes, theres still a lot of refining happening, but weve said no to hazardous projects and won. In 2009, as mentioned, folks in the North Salt Lake area stopped petcoke from being used here. Theres currently a community thats mobilizing against the medical waste incinerator facility called Stericycle, and it looks like they have a good chance of winning.

Not in spite of the fact that we still live by refinery row, but because of it, we have the power to help shift our nation away from dirty fuels to cleaner ones.27

This is a photo from a recent action to block construction of the massive road leading out to the tar sands mine in eastern Utah.28

Read More:Deseret News, Power Plant Wont Use Petcoke in West Bountiful.http://www.deseretnews.com/article/705286322/Power-plant-wont-use-petroleum-coke-in-West-Bountiful.html?pg=all

Desmog Blog, Is Houston a Tar Sands Sacrifice Zone?http://www.desmogblog.com/2013/05/23/houston-tar-sands-sacrifice-zone

Huffington Post, Keystone XL Risks Harm to Houston Community: This Is Obviously Environmental Racism.http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/03/27/keystone-xl-pipeline-houston-air-pollution_n_2964853.html

Huffington Post, Petrochemical Bombardment on Latino Barrio Intensifies.http://www.huffingtonpost.com/javier-sierra/petrochemical-bombardment_b_3786408.html?utm_hp_ref=tw

LA Times: A Slow-Motion Colorado River Disaster.http://www.latimes.com/opinion/la-oe-mackey-colorado-river-drought-20130819,0,2138689.story

Mother Jones, American Refineries Getting Ready for Dirty Tar Sands Oil.http://www.motherjones.com/politics/2012/10/tar-sands-oil-refinery-detroit/

New York Times, A Black Mound of Canadian Oil Waste Is Rising Over Detroit.http://www.nytimes.com/2013/05/18/business/energy-environment/mountain-of-petroleum-coke-from-oil-sands-rises-in-detroit.html?pagewanted=all&_r=0

Oil Change International, Petroleum Coke: The Coal Hiding in the Tar Sands.http://priceofoil.org/2013/01/17/petroleum-coke-the-coal-hiding-in-the-tar-sands

Peaceful Uprising, Tar Sands: Why We Fight.http://www.peacefuluprising.org/tarsandsfacts

Rolling Stone, Tar Sands Blockade: The Monkey Wrenchershttp://www.rollingstone.com/politics/lists/the-fossil-fuel-resistance-meet-the-new-green-heroes-20130411/tar-sands-blockade-the-monkey-wrenchers-19691231

Salt Lake Tribune, Safety Records Show Hundreds of Violations at Utah Refineries.http://www.sltrib.com/sltrib/news/54844934-78/refineries-refinery-utah-oil.html.csp

Salt Lake Tribune, Utah Protesters Decry Tar Sands in Chevron Refinery March.http://www.sltrib.com/sltrib/news/56051217-78/tar-sands-utah-salt.html.csp

Tar Sands Blockade, Residents of Houstons Toxic East End Speak Out.http://www.tarsandsblockade.org/east-end-speak-out/

Utah Physicians for a Healthy Environment, The Public Health Consequences of Utahs Energy Policies.http://www.energy.utah.gov/government/strategic_plan/docs/publiccomments/uphe10152010.pdf

Western Resource Advocates, Air Quality, Oil Shale and Tar Sands.http://www.westernresourceadvocates.org/land/pdf/air-osts-factsheet.pdf

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