So far, rational environmental arguments have largely kept Utah's tar sands, which contain an estimated 12 billion to 20 billion barrels of oil, in the ground. Rising oil prices, however, may soon erase these historic constraints, just as they have done in Canada. More
The Wild North: Much of the boreal is a mosaic of wetlands.Jiri Rezac/Eyevine
Tar-sands workers await buses to take them to the Millenium Camp, where they live.Alex Webb/Magnum Photos
Brute Force: Enormous dump trucks (each tire is 14 feet tall and weighs 40,000 pounds) carry off the earth that once sustained a primeval forest.Jiri Rezac/Eyevine
Mike Reagan
Keep Off: In an effort to deter migratory birds from landing on the huge, toxic tailings ponds, mine owners use scarecrows (known as bitu-men).Alex Webb/Magnum Photos