Senator Barbara Boxer (D-CA), Chairman of the Committee on Environment and Public Works (EPW), and Senator Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI) held a press conference on February 26th to expose the harmful health implications associated with tar sands oil and the proposed Keystone XL pipeline.
Fearmongerer Boxer claimed there was a link between oil sands oil extraction and cancer.
But, it looks like junk scientist Boxer was wrong again.
A recent study found that there is no link between cancer and oil sands development.
The Financial Post reported:
Much like other claims made by opponents of oil sands development, shocking stories about higher cancer rates among aboriginals living near such projects are falling apart with close scrutiny.
After reviewing the incidence of cancer in the Fort Chipewyan, Alta., aboriginal community between 1992 and 2011, Alberta’s Chief Medical Officer of Health, Dr. James Talbot, said Monday the overall cancer rate in the community is not significantly higher than elsewhere — 81 cases, compared with 79 that would be expected in the rest of Alberta.
While three types of cancer — cervical cancer (four cases), lung cancer (eight cases) and bile duct cancer (three cases) — are slightly more prevalent, the first two are preventable through vaccination and less smoking, he said. The third is more complicated and has been linked to such risk factors as obesity, diabetes, alcohol, viral hepatitis and family history.
“There isn’t strong evidence for an association between any of these cancers and environmental exposure,” Dr. Talbot told reporters after releasing the report in Edmonton.
