SOUTH PORTLAND — The South Portland City Council on Monday earmarked nearly $500,000 to defend a law it passed last year preventing the on-boarding of crude oil along the city’s waterfront. The “Clear Skies” ordinance effectively prohibits pumping tar sands oil through the Portland-Montreal Pipeline to South Portland, where the fuel could then be transported […]
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Posted inBusiness
South Portland stripped of ‘business friendly’ designation
PORTLAND — The city of South Portland has lost its “business friendly” designation from Gov. Paul LePage’s administration as a result of its ordinance blocking the export of tar sands, or oil sands, from its waterfront. Doug Ray, spokesman for the state’s Department of Economic and Community Development, confirmed Friday that South Portland is the […]
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Boston law firm to defend South Portland’s anti-tar sands rule
SOUTH PORTLAND — The Boston law firm Foley Hoag will defend South Portland against a lawsuit filed last month by Portland Pipe Line Corp. The City Council unanimously approved the hiring Monday night. In the nine-count lawsuit, Portland Pipe Line and American Waterways Operators allege the city’s Clear Skies Ordinance, enacted last August, unconstitutionally limits […]
Posted inMaine, sj-web
South Portland City Council bans tar sands
SOUTH PORTLAND — South Portland made history Monday night when the City Council voted 6-1 to pass a land-use ordinance meant to prevent the bulk loading of tar sands oil on the city’s waterfront. It makes South Portland the first municipality in the country to ban tar sands, and sets a major regional and national […]
Posted inMaine, sj-web
South Portland council backs tar sands ban
SOUTH PORTLANDne (AP) — The South Portland City Council has approved a first reading proposal that would prohibit loading tar sands crude oil in bulk onto marine tank vessels in the city. The council passed the ordinance 6-1 on Wednesday night. About 500 people showed up for the meeting at the South Portland Community Center […]
Posted inMaine, sj-web
Huge crowd forces South Portland to delay vote on crude oil ban
SOUTH PORTLAND (AP) — The South Portland City Council has postponed action on an ordinance that would prohibit loading tar sands crude oil in bulk onto marine tank vessels in the city because of the huge public turnout. The council was scheduled to vote on the proposal Monday but City Hall couldn’t accommodate all the […]
Posted inMaine, sj-web
Environmentalists say Portland pipeline beyond 60-year lifespan
PORTLAND (AP) — An environmental group says one of the two pipelines from Portland to Montreal has surpassed its life expectancy, based on court documents filed in a tax dispute in New Hampshire. Owners of the Portland Pipe Line agreed with a 60-year lifespan assessment for purposes of a tax case in the 1990s. The […]
Posted inMaine, sj-web
South Portland approves moratorium on tar sands
SOUTH PORTLAND (AP) — The South Portland City Council has voted to put in place a temporary moratorium that bars tar sands from coming into the city. The City Council on Monday voted 6-1 in favor of the moratorium. It lasts until May 5. Some residents are concerned that a pipeline that sends crude oil […]
Posted inMaine, sj-web
South Portland voting on anti-oil pipeline initiative
SOUTH PORTLAND (AP) — South Portland voters were deciding Tuesday whether to adopt an ordinance aimed at preventing the flow of tar sands oil to the city. Supporters said the proposal would protect the community of 25,000 residents from exposure to harmful toxins, while critics argued it would destroy existing businesses along the city’s working […]
Posted inMaine, sj-web
Local fight rages over tar sands oil
SOUTH PORTLAND (AP) — A proposed ordinance designed to block tar sands oil from being transported to South Portland has set off a fiery debate over what impact it will have on the community and the city’s bustling waterfront. Opponents of the thick, gooey oil derived from tar sands in Canada fear a 236-mile underground […]