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March 6, 2013

28 Vt. communities join no tar sands call

Over two dozen Vermont communities voiced opposition to any plan that would transport tar sands oil south from Canada through a pipeline that ends in South Portland.

The Associated Press reported that 28 communities voted, in a non-biding resolution, to oppose any such plan for the Portland Pipe Line Corp. line that runs from Montreal through parts of Vermont and Maine. Opponents say transporting tar sands in the 236-mile pipeline poses environmental risks to nearby communities and watersheds.

This week, a third Maine community passed such a resolution. Company CEO Larry Wilson says the Portland Pipe Line Co. still has no definite plans to reverse the flow of its Montreal-South Portland line to transport tar sands but that such a plan is possible.

The potential for that plan to take form has also caught the attention of the Democratic members of Maine's national delegation. Last week, U.S. Reps. Chellie Pingree and Mike Michaud joined a group of congressional officials in sending a letter to Secretary of State John Kerry requesting that any proposal to reverse the existing pipeline require a presidential permit and new environmental impact statement.

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