Stelmach

CHICAGO, Illinois, June 10, 2008 (ENS) - In a case that could affect oil refineries around the country, plans by ConocoPhillips to expand its refinery in Roxana, Illinois were sidelined on Friday when an appeal board of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency upheld a challenge to the air permit required for the project. The decision sends ConocoPhillips and the Illinois EPA, which had granted the permits for the Wood River refinery expansion, back to the drawing board.

1. Residents of communities living downstream from tar sands operations are experiencing unusually high rates of rare cancers and auto-immune diseases. Dr. John O’Connor spoke out on the occurrance of rare cancer clusters in the community of Fort Chipewyan.

2. The Alberta tar sands are the fastest growing contributor to greenhouse gas emissions in Canada at approximately 40% of the country’s emissions.

Elizabeth May, leader of the Green Party of Canada, discusses the lack of action taken by the Harper government on global warming, especially in light of tar sands development.