Exxon to Pay $25 Million for Greenpoint Spill
Big news for Greenpoint: Exxon Mobile, which has spilled at least 17 million gallons of oil from its refinery in and around Newtown Creek over the years, agreed to pay $25 million to settle a long-standing environmental suit; the settlement follows the creek’s recent addition to the list of Superfund sites, a process that could…
Big news for Greenpoint: Exxon Mobile, which has spilled at least 17 million gallons of oil from its refinery in and around Newtown Creek over the years, agreed to pay $25 million to settle a long-standing environmental suit; the settlement follows the creek’s recent addition to the list of Superfund sites, a process that could last up to ten years and cost as much as $500 million. $19.5 million of the settlement will pay for projects to benefit the Greenpoint community, selected through community input. It’s the largest single payment of its kind in New York’s history. Exxon will also be required to file reports on soil problems, groundwater contamination, and how to speed up future oil cleanups. For far too long, residents of Greenpoint have been forced to live with an environmental nightmare lurking just beneath their homes, their businesses and their community, said Andrew Cuomo in a press release. With this settlement, ExxonMobil will be held accountable for fully cleaning up this environmental disaster. Others were just as happy. We’re thrilled, said Katie Schmid, director of the Newtown Creek Alliance, an advocacy group. Now we have confidence that these problems will be addressed with the strongest tools available.
Exxon Mobil Settles State Suit on Newtown Creek Cleanup [NY Times]
Exxon To Pay $25M to Settle Suit [Crain’s]
Cuomo Announces Settlement for Brooklyn Oil Spill [Brooklyn Ink]
Newtown Creek Getting Superfunded [Brownstoner]
Photo by Mitch Waxman
It is a shame. This clean up will cost 10 times that amount… if it ever gets done. And what about some kind of fine on top of it. I suggest $ 7 Billion (profits last quarter- see above) in penalties. The only way we will ever stop industry from this type of crime is to make the penalty severe as to be a deterrent. I am so sick of politicians being puppets to industry. Cuomo should be ashamed of himself.
I shed a tear… just like that Native American did in the commercial from the 70’s. I suggest a current commercial in which we cry as our political system is corrupted by industry and their corporate leaders.
pff. $25 million is pennies to exxon mobile. they earned $7+ BILLION in profits in the last quarter alone.