April, 29 2014, 03:19pm EDT
The Sierra Club Makes it Easier for Corporate Fleets to go Tar Sands Free
New Report Identifies Refineries that Do Not Process Alberta Tar Sands into Gasoline and Diesel
SAN FRANCISCO
The Sierra Club released the Avoiding Tar Sands Fuel in Corporate Fleetsreport today, which outlines steps that corporations can take to ensure that fuels they burn in their fleet cars and trucks are not made from tar sands crude. The report identifies 39 US oil refineries that do not process tar sands crude into gasoline and diesel fuel. Although it can be difficult for individuals to know the source of the fuel they buy at the pump, corporations with large vehicle fleets are often able to choose the sources of the fuel they use. The Sierra Club is asking companies to avoid whenever possible fuel derived from the high-carbon, highly polluting Alberta tar sands.
"Oil from Alberta's tar sands is the dirtiest oil on Earth," says Michael Marx, Sierra Club beyond oil campaign director. "Companies across America are making huge leaps raising fuel efficiency, but burning oil from tar sands means taking two steps backwards. Fuel efficiency gains are wiped out when you fill that vehicle with oil from tar sands. With this new information on refineries, it's easier for fleet operators to know where their fuels are coming from to avoid the dirtiest sources of oil."
Through the Future Fleet campaign, Sierra Club and ForestEthics have been pushing companies, such as PepsiCo, which operates an enormous fleet of vehicles in the US, to slash overall oil consumption and reduce reliance on tar sands fuel. Already, 19 companies--including Walgreen's, Whole Foods, and Columbia Sportswear--have committed to take action on tar sands fuel for their vehicle fleet and shipping operations.
"The climate movement and the Keystone XL campaign are shining a bright light on the oil industry's shift to more extreme sources of oil," says Marx. "The first step for any company is to reduce the amount of oil they use. The second important step is to understand the source of their fuels, and, whenever possible, avoid the worst fuels in the market place. Tar sands crude tops the list when it comes to a rapidly growing fuel source with a devastating environmental impact."
The new Sierra Club report, reviewed by Oil Change International, ForestEthics, and BSR, can be viewed here. More detail on refineries that process and don't process tar sands crude can be found at: www.RefineryReport.org.
The Sierra Club is the most enduring and influential grassroots environmental organization in the United States. We amplify the power of our 3.8 million members and supporters to defend everyone's right to a healthy world.
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The suit comes as FTC Chair Lina Khan's battle against "corporate greed" is nearing its end, with U.S. President-elect Donald Trump announcing Tuesday that he plans to elevate Andrew Ferguson to lead the agency.
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"By suing Southern Glazer under the Robinson-Patman Act, a law that has gone unenforced for decades, the FTC is doing what our government should be doing: using every tool possible to make life better for everyday Americans," she added.
According to the FTC:
Under the Robinson-Patman Act, it is generally illegal for sellers to engage in price discrimination that harms competition by charging higher prices to disfavored retailers that purchase similar goods. The FTC's case filed today seeks to ensure that businesses of all sizes compete on a level playing field with equivalent access to discounts and rebates, which means increased consumer choice and the ability to pass on lower prices to consumers shopping across independent retailers.
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Southern Glazer's published a statement calling the FTC lawsuit "misguided and legally flawed" and claiming it has not violated the Robinson-Patman Act.
"Operating in the highly competitive alcohol distribution business, we offer different levels of discounts based on the cost we incur to sell different quantities to customers and make all discount levels available to all eligible retailers, including chain stores and small businesses alike," the company said.
Peterson-Cassin noted that the new suit "follows a massive court victory for the FTC on Tuesday in which a federal judge blocked a $25 billion grocery mega-merger after the agency sued," a reference to the proposed Kroger-Albertsons deal.
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As Common Dreams reported last month, more than half of the department's annual budget now goes to military contractors that consistently overcharge the government, contributing to the Pentagon's inability to fully account for trillions of taxpayer dollars.
The $883.7 billion legislation that was advanced by the House on Wednesday would pour more money into the Pentagon's coffers. The package includes more than $500 million in Israeli military aid and two $357 million nuclear-powered attack submarine despite the Pentagon requesting only one, and would cut more than $621 million from President Joe Biden's budget request for climate action initiatives.
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Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) said Thursday that the legislation "has some very good things we Democrats wanted in it, it has some bad things we wouldn't have put in there, and some things that were left out," and indicated that he had filed cloture for the first procedural vote on the NDAA.
The vote is expected to take place early next week, and 60 votes are needed to begin debate on the package.
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The Constitution vests Congress, not the president, with the power to declare war (though presidents have used military force without getting the OK from Congress on multiple occasions in modern history, according to the National Constitution Center).
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