Exxon Spills 11 Million Gallons of Oil at Bargain Prices

Originally, there were 33,000 people who were awarded $5 billion dollars in punitive damages for Exxon's spill destroying 1,200 miles of Alaska's coast and the livelihood of so many people.

It all started by having a drunk captain who left a third mate in charge of the Exxon Valdiz who did not know the waters in the area who in turn ran the tanker aground in Prince William Sound. The spill killed hundreds of thousands of sea birds, marine mammals, and the fish that were so deeply depended on by the fishermen.

In 2006, on appeal, the 5 billion dollar judgement was reduced to $2.5 billion dollars.

Upon further appeal, the U.S Supreme Court ruled today that the $2.5 billion should only be $500 million. That's right - just $500 million dollars. This would be equal to about 4 days worth of profit for Exxon. After 19 years, 33,000 people will get roughly $15,000 each.



http://www.nytimes.com/aponline/business/AP-Scotus-Exxon-Valdez.html

Of course, I shouldn't forget that the Supreme Court also gave Bush the 2000 election.

 

not even 1 grand for each year that has passed. Not hard to see who bankrolls the supreme court.

 

Can someone give me a convincing reason why I should particularly care about this development?

 

Uhm, not really, but I can tell you why I sort of care (as in: "ergh, that sucks, f'ing companies, justice system failing, bla" and move on). I sort of care because these people got massively f'd over, the same way you and I often get f'd over - the same way I got f'd over today by "my own" government which is making me lose all the money I saved, bar £73.

The article says the people rely on the fish. The oil killed the fish. Now they get US$15,000, nineteen years later - they could probably have made a lot more money in the five years after the incident if this hadn't happened, so this does not seem fair to me.

 

Maybe oil companies will make more use of double hulled tankers. Maybe the loss of sea life alone will not be forgotten. Just because it happened 19 years ago doesn't mean it can't happen to a shoreline near you.

 

only if you can give me a convincing reason to show that you are human.

 

******** Chris, you don't actually care about these people, no-one here does.

 

Because you're back button doesn't work?

 

That was right across the pond. Ask not for whom the bell tolls...

 

I'll read your opinions, but please don't tell me how to live my life.


I wonder how long would 20,000 tonnes of fuel last to supply england?

 

QFT

I didn't choose to be a human, I'd rather be a bird or a cat or something... Anyway, if we should care about these things, why don't we care that every day a disaster like this is dumped into the air? Oh, that's right, that's for our convienience...

Probably not much more then a winters day...

 

Then, think of the damage to our ecosystem. After all, it's everybody's planet. Or, isn't that cared about that much either?

Green is more than a color or colour.

Doesn't this legal decision weaken the the financial obligations of the oil industry towards environmental protections. Ramifications from massive oil spills are not just local. They are most certainly global in nature.

Judgments should be punitive enough to give notice to the oil shippers that there is more to consider than the inconvenience to humans. The whole reduction in the award seems to indicate that the final amount of damage to all human costs are the only matters given consideration.

This decision was based on maritime law. It has no real consideration for a modern disaster. It's all about the ship and the law itself. Perhaps, new laws are needed if the old ones don't suffice. Then, people could receive true recompense in a timely manor, and the environment can have greater protection by increasing the convictions of oil shippers to take more precautions.

This is not to say oil companies themselves have moral convictions. New laws could strike the pocket books of share holders and company executives alike. Real financial burden is the only way to exert any influence over the industry's shipping practices.

 

Now if only Oil companies would be 'hurt' by fines... They just don't care...

 

oh no they do care. that was my point when I joked about knowing who is bankrolling the supreme court. why do you think the fine was reduced so much?
over the last month at the gas plant that I work at we have had a company out to kill weeds that are not native to the area. It has to be done because some enviroment group insists that its the oil development that caused these weeds to be brought there. and if we dont get rid of them we get fined for it.

 

I think its pretty sickening that the fine was reduced so much.
Having said that, it does all boil down to one alcoholic retard leaving his post.
His actions destroyed animal life, the habitat, the livelihoods of the people dependant on said animal life and habitat etc.

I don't really see how Exxon can be held responsible for the accident.

What can be done however, is action taken to stop this kind of thing happening again.
Better navigation systems, stronger hulls etc.
This should be forced on them by law and at the oil company's expense.

Mind you, they'd then just increase the price of their oil and pass the cost on and still post record profits year after year.
Kinda highlights the dependance we all have on oil and oil-based products.

 

The captain had a history of drinking problems and had actually been removed from command by another company before he'd worked for Exxon. However, his drinking was a known fact well before the accident happened even while he was working for Exxon.

This doesn't even ask why a third mate who didn't have his master's license was moving a ship out of port. Only a master's license allows transversing a port and it's local access to waters immediately adjacent to them.

 

Did I?

Why should we care? Why should we care about Iraq? Why should we even vote?

Perhaps we should care when we choose whether to buy an economical car or the 4WD guzzler, or choose who we vote for. Perhaps some knowledge about the state of the world coupled with a bit of concern may allow us to make a more informed choices that may influence such matters, if even on a small scale. At the very least, we don't collude.

"What's the difference between empathy and apathy? I don't know and I don't care."

 

The Exxon Valdiz is the reason I never buy gas at Exxon


If my car ran out of gas in front of an Exxon station I'd push my car 5 miles to the next gas station

 

Same here except the car pushing. I would call a tow truck.

Funny how so many people felt this way that Exxon has tried very hard to bury it's name and true identity where it can.

 

Exxon doesn't care if they miss a few paying customers


It's not hurting there profit