In 1989 an Exxon tanker spilled 11 million gallons of crude oil into Prince Williams Sound in Alaska. Currently Exxon is fighting the Supreme Court arguing that they should not have to pay punitive damages caused by the largest oil spill in the United States.
This spill which was caused by the tank hitting ground was under the command of Joseph Hazelwood who was reportedly drunk that night.
This coastal town was devasting by the effects of this oil spill. It covered 1,200 miles of their shore and killed thousands of sea life and birds. The spill is also connected to a virus that has killed their herein numbers which have not returned to normal. Exxon however denies that their spill has had any long term environmental impact on Alaska
Not only was Alaska environmentally impacted by this spill, the people of Alaska who made a living primarily on fishing were also effected. With out a way to earn a living many natives described marriages being ruined and alcohol and addictions taking its place.
Exxon already appealed the 5 billion that was to be rewarded to the victims of this oil spill and reduced it to 2.5 million. However Exxon has the largest annual profit for a company in the United States, earning 40.6 BILLION dollars last year
After almost twenty years there is still devastating impacts on Alaska's environment and its residents and Exxon, a 40 billion dollar company is unwilling to pay punitive cost or a even the full 5 million to its residents.
Sounds like greed to me.
What I love is that while we're paying such high gas prices and Bush's energy bill gives subsidies to oil companies, Exxon is STILL making this much money and this much fuss over spending a few million to people that are still suffering from their mistake. It's disgusting.
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You must be the change you wish to see in the world -- Mahatma Ghandi
Honest disagreement is often a good sign of progress. --Mahatma Gandhi