Number: 2010-03
WHEREAS, global warming is a real and significant threat to wildlife, habitat and human health; and
WHEREAS, all carbon-based (and even renewable) energy sources have negative environmental impacts, some such as the high carbon liquid fuels tar-sands oil, oil shale, and liquified coal have much greater impacts associated with their production; and
WHEREAS, development of the high carbon liquid fuels tar-sands oil, oil shale, and liquified coal will increase and prolong global warming pollution in the United States, and threatens forested lands and rivers, and the wildlife that depend on unfragmented land, clean water, and clean air; and
WHEREAS, governments around the world, as alternatives to conventional petroleum, are looking to produce fuels like tar-sands oil, that emit three times more global warming pollution than conventional oil, generate toxic waste that pollute the air and water, and threaten wildlife species, habitats, and human health; and
WHEREAS, production of high carbon liquid fuels requires up to four times more water to extract one gallon of heavy crude than conventional production methods, which will contribute to shortages of drinking water throughout the world; and
WHEREAS, the oil and coal industries continue to invest in new infrastructure such as pipelines and refineries that perpetuate the development of these fuels; and
WHEREAS, current federal and state policies subsidize the high carbon liquid fuels industry, resulting in artificially low costs to produce these fuels, and diverting resources away from the development of cleaner alternatives;
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED that the National Wildlife Federation at its annual meeting assembled April 8-10, 2010 in Houston, Texas, supports a strategy that includes litigation and advocacy to prevent expansion of tar-sands oil, oil shale, and liquified coal in the U.S. by targeting new infrastructure that would support their expansion, including pipelines and refineries; and
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that NWF encourages conservation partners across the nation to raise awareness about the long-term negative effects of these fuel sources; and
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that NWF encourages Congress and the Administration to end federal subsidies for development of these high carbon liquid fuels, and shift those subsidies to cleaner, low-carbon alternatives.