US Congress says no to tar sands (quietly)

Here’s one that somebody missed. Apparently Section 526 of the Energy Bill signed into law by Bush less than a month ago stated that the U.S. government would not purchase transportation fuel from nonconventional petroleum sources that have higher life-cycle greenhouse gas emissions from production and combustion than equivalent conventional fuel.

That means that the US military (the #1 consumer of oil in the US), the postal service, government fleets, all of it – can’t use tar sands oil. Or oil shale. Or coal to liquids.

You can almost hear the oil industry lobbyists slapping their foreheads and shouting “D’oh!”

Its a happy sound, one not often overheard inside the beltway.

Of course, now the wrangling over implementing regulations will start. The industry can be counted on to try to weaken this historic legislation at every turn. And perhaps this is why Alberta’s Premier Ed Stelmach arrives in Washington tomorrow. Either that or to see his Edmonton Oilers (!) play the Washington Capitals on Thursday night.
Stay tuned for information on how you can urge Congress to keep this legislation strong.

And Go Caps!