The new report notes that if current plans for infrastructure to handle tar sands oil transportation proceed, “tar sands refining on the West Coast could increase eightfold, from about 100,000 barrels per day in 2013 to nearly 800,000 bpd in coming decades.” To put this in perspective, this is approximately the amount the proposed TransCanada KXL pipeline would transport to the U.S. Gulf Coast.

“The West Coast is about to fall victim to a tar sands invasion, unless our leaders choose to protect the health and safety of our communities and say no to Big Oil,” said Anthony Swift, deputy director of NRDC's Canada Project. “At a time when the nation is moving toward a clean energy future, there is no reason to welcome the dirtiest oil on the planet into our communities.”

View April 29, 2015 DeSmogBlog article
View April 28, 2015 Natural Resources Defense Council blog post
View April 2015 Natural Resources Defense Council report
View April 2015 Natural Resources Defense Council issue brief
View Natural Resources Defense Council Energy Document
View West Coast Environmental Tar Sands, Tankers & Pipelines page