Please see the message below from Rita Beving:

Thank you all for your attention at the various meetings I've presented to this week and you willingness to help on Seaway.

See below for the flier for those who can call or write the Energy Resources Committee who is having a hearing tomorrow regarding pipeline safety and integrity, and other oil and gas issues. 

I'm sure most of you know this, but make sure you personalize your comments with where you live in relation to Seaway, and what your concerns are, including address.  The point of this hearing is for legislators to hear how regulations on pipelines, safety, process, etc. could be improved. 

If you want to use the points on the flyer, tweak the language so it doesn't sound like carbon copies of what I've got written here.  I know you all have probably guessed that's just good strategy, but thought I'd mention it as I already had someone take the entire flier almost verbatim and send it in that way without changing any verbage.

The Energy Resource meeting will be held at 9 am Tues in Capitol Extension -- E1.010. So it would be best if you could write comments to get in tomorrow or by Wed.  Public testimony is welcome and we think comments will be limited to 3 minutes.

If your email doesn't go through to a legislator the first time, call their office and let them know what you are trying to send.

After the hearing, Michelle Smith, a victim of the Enbridge spill, and I will then travel to the 391 meeting and to Dallas on Wednesday.  I am hoping to have a very casual sit down at La Madeleine's or somewhere quiet enough for people to meet her.  I am open to ideas if someone has some this am.  I am hoping to send out another email this morning in that regard.


Thanks, Rita Beving, 214.557.2271, Public Citizen N. Texas organizer

Natural Resources Hearing -

Tue. June 26 in Austin at 9 am, State Capitol Extension, E1.010

Email these Committee Members:
James Keffer- Chair (Dist. 60- Eastland) james.keffer@house.state.tx.us 512.463.0656 Myra Crownover - Vice Chair (Dist. 64- Denton) myra.cownover@house.state.tx.us 512.463.0582

Stefani Carter - (Dist. 102- Dallas) stefani.carter@house.state.us 512.463.0454

Tom Craddick (Dist. 82 - Midland) tom.craddick@house.state.tx.us 512.463.0500

John Davis (Dist. 129- Houston) john.davis@house.state.tx.us 512.463.0734

Charles Howard (Dist. 26 - Sugar Land) charlie.howard@house.state.tx.us 512.463.0710

Jose Manuel "JM" Lozano (Dist. 43 - Harlingen) jim.lozano@house.state.tx.us 512.463.0463

Ralph Sheffield (Dist. 55 - Temple) ralph.sheffield@house.state.tx.us 512.463.0630 Mark Strama (Dist. 50- Austin) mark.strama@house.state.tx.us 512.463.0821

Send an email to the above legislators asking that:
Full Disclosure of Tar Sand Composition - Companies should be required to disclose the composition of tar sands or dilbit crude since it is now deemed "proprietary" (not fully disclosed). The legislature voted in the last session to require that fracking fluid’s composition be disclosed, we need to do the same for tar sands.

Filing Emergency Plan before Operations - Any pipeline company doing business in the state of Texas should be requred to submit an emergency response plan before it starts operations, not after, so the state/ municipalites can ensure the plan is adequate

Consider Reclassifying Tar Sands - Due to the dilutent, higher toxic chemicals and heavy metal
content, a consideration to reclassify tar sands as hazardous waste needs to be evaluated.
Consider a Special Liability Bond for Tar Sands Crude - If companies want to transport hazardous tar sands crude through Texas, these entities should contribute substantially to an oil spill fund or a special liability bond should be established. TransCanada has now had 14 spills with it’snew Keystone I pipeline, and Enbridge has now had the most expensive tar sands spill in US history, costing more than $720 million. Enbridge’s own insurance company stated, when the spill was at $585 million, that it may not cover all the company’s costs

Push for New Standards on New Tar Sands Pipelines - Due to the higher rate of tar sands incidents and the fact that these pipelines now utilize only conventional crude standards when built, new standards requiring thicker pipe, better coating, and other considerations should be put in place to ensure pipeline integrity.

There is also a high incident rate with pumping stations associated with these operations. A closer look at pumping station standards should also be evaluated.Repurposed Pipelines Need to be Adequately Reassessed before Allowing Tar Sands Flow - Enbridge’s Seaway is a 36-year old pipeline repurposed for tar sands. These aging pipelines were not designed for pressures up to 1440 psi, running up to 158 degrees, with such abrasive, toxic material. As most older lines were designed for lower psi rates, a thorough line inspection needs to be done before a line is allowed