Foundation News

Last month, the Sierra Club released the Avoiding Tar Sands Fuel in Corporate Fleets report, which outlines steps that corporations can take to ensure that fuels they burn in their fleet cars and trucks are not made from tar sands crude. The report identifies 39 US oil refineries that do not process tar sands crude into gasoline and diesel fuel. Although it can be difficult for individuals to know the source of the fuel they buy at the pump, corporations with large vehicle fleets are often able to choose the sources of the fuel they use. The Sierra Club is asking companies to avoid whenever possible fuel derived from the high-carbon, highly polluting Alberta tar sands.

“Oil from Alberta's tar sands is the dirtiest oil on Earth,” says Michael Marx, Sierra Club Beyond Oil Campaign Director. “Companies across America are making huge leaps raising fuel efficiency, but burning oil from tar sands means taking two steps backwards. Fuel efficiency gains are wiped out when you fill that vehicle with oil from tar sands. With this new information on refineries, it’s easier for fleet operators to know where their fuels are coming from to avoid the dirtiest sources of oil.”

Through the Future Fleet Campaign funded by The Sierra Club Foundation, Sierra Club and ForestEthics have been pushing companies, such as PepsiCo, which operates an enormous fleet of vehicles in the US, to slash overall oil consumption and reduce reliance on tar sands fuel. Already, 19 companies – including Walgreen’s, Whole Foods, and Columbia Sportswear – have committed to take action on tar sands fuel for their vehicle fleet and shipping operations.

The new Sierra Club report, reviewed by Oil Change International, ForestEthics, and BSR, can be viewed here.  More detail on refineries that process and don’t process tar sands crude can be found at: www.RefineryReport.org.