I'm writing to share some great news--Global Companies is backing away from its proposal to build a boiler to process a tar sands oil facility at the Port of Albany. This facility would have handled some of the dirtiest and most energy-intensive oil in the world. 

Beyond the clear environmental risks, this project would have exposed residents of the low-income Ezra Prentice Homes to big increases in levels of toxins, harmful odors, and noise, and to the risk of potentially deadly accidents.

The company planned to use this facility to heat the molasses-like oil brought into Albany by rail to make it easier to handle, and then transport it by barge down the Hudson River, putting the river and local communities at risk from air pollution, explosive accidents, or a devastating spill that would be nearly impossible to clean up. But because of strong, vocal, and unified opposition, Global backed down.

This huge victory would not have been possible without a strong public outcry from nearby residents, and people like you standing together to say no to this dirty and dangerous facility, which would have fueled the oil and gas industry’s efforts to turn Albany in to a major east coast oil hub.

Mountainkeeper and our allies have waged a strong, multi-year fight against this tar sands boiler, and friends like you have been with us every step of the way, sending emails, making phone calls, and protesting. Alongside our attorneys at Earthjustice and partner organizations, Mountainkeeper has been embroiled in legal proceedings seeking to block the project throughout that time. And residents of the Ezra Prentice Homes—who live within a few thousand feed of the proposed facility—led the charge, standing up to the company, and fighting back to protect their families and community. Clearly this powerful partnership has been a recipe for success.

Thank you for your work on this campaign, and stay tuned--as with all of these fossil fuel fights we take on together, this one's probably not over. We'll be there, prepared to fight, grateful to have you at our side once again.

Sincerely,

Wes Gillingham, Associate Director
May 23, 2018