Update from the Vigil at PR Springs
We began hearing the horrible sounds of earth scraping and grinding at the site of our beloved Children’s Legacy camp on Aug 8th . On further investigation we can see from the road a new piece of equipment moving and scraping at the exposed tar layer. US Oil Sands has begun doing earth moving and strip mine activities in Grand County Utah, where debris is entering the air stream and insufficient erosion controls allow water to move off the site and into Main Canyon. There is very frequently strong winds on seep ridge and dust is spreading all day. Water trucks are being used very rarely.
US Oil Sands destroys cherished Children’s Legacy Camp in Eastern Utah.
US Oil Sands is destroying the Children’s Legacy camp site. This pristine high desert forest is known as “pit 1” in their mine plan. We expect USOS intends to mix this tar with solvents in big tanks and dump the waste in unlined pits in Uintah and Grand counties. The tar processing site is within the Ute Uncompagre Indian Reservation. USEPA is the air and water pollution control authority within the reservation boundaries. No permit has been issued. US Oil Sands is threatening immediate and uncontrolled pollution within Indian country.
Dust from the tar sands mine haul road.
Phone USEPA today:
Matthew M. Langenfeld
Tribal Air Coordinator U.S. EPA Region 8
1595 Wynkoop Street
Denver, CO 80202-1129
Ms. Claudia Smith
Air Program U.S. EPA Region 8
1595 Wynkoop Street
Denver, CO 80202-1129
(303) 312-6520
Let the EPA know that this environmental injustice cannot continue un-addressed
“Tar sands create unacceptable toxic waste and air pollution.
For this to occur without permits is wrong.”
Us Oil Sands has stated that :
“The Company is in the pre-production stage, anticipating the commencement of bitumen production and sales in Q4 2016.”
HMM! Well they do want to be able to run the big machines and try to demonstrate some actual production so they can sell the whole unprofitable project. Public records show they are all most out of money and cannot continue without more money and state funded subsidies. Now is the time to UP the pressure on US Oil Sands.