The Brothers Koch quietly become largest tar-sands lease holders in Alberta

[xchrom]

http://grist.org/news/the-brothers-koch-quietly-become-largest-tar-sands-lease-holders-in-alberta/

?w=470&h=265&crop=1

Charles and David Koch sure are a busy coupla pranksters! In the 2012 election, the Mark and Donnie Wahlberg of modern-day American capitalism spent more than $412 million trying (and largely failing) to get their favorite candidates elected. And they’re gearing up to drop some cash on this year’s elections too.

But fossil-fuel-loving politicians aren’t the only item in the Koch shopping cart. Turns out the wacky sibling duo has spent the past dozen years throwing substantial bills at tar-sands property in Alberta – enough to buy leases on 1.1 million acres worth, to be exact.

That makes Koch Industries the single largest tar-sands lease holder in the province, ranking ahead of energy giants Conoco Phillips and Shell. As a point of reference, Alberta has the third largest crude oil reserves in the world, second only to Venezuela and Saudi Arabia.

[gtar100]

1. Oh the Kochs. Rich, powerful, and careless.

If they really put their money money where their mouth is, they'd build their house in the middle of that pit and live there.

[pscot]

2. I doubt Calgary has an opera company

that would satisfy their refined sensibilities.