Chevron appeals 9.5 billion USD fine from an Ecuador court

Monday, March 14th 2011 - 02:09 UTC

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US oil giant Chevron has launched a legal appeal against a 9.5 billion US dollars fine by an Ecuador court for polluting much of the country's Amazon region. Read full article

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GeoffWard
Chevron has a significant reputation for good practice in its management of its oilfields.

It did not operate in Ecuador during the period in question, though it later absorbed Texaco, absorbing its assets though not necessarily its liabilities. (The dissolution of eg. mining companies in the USA has been a long-understood route to removing liability and transfering responsibility for cleanup to the state).
In this case the rationale was not avoidance of responsibility but was economies of scale.

Since those times - a quarter of a century ago - Ecuadorian companies have mined the same watersheds for oil etc, and have contributed massively to the pollution load of this upper amazonia region. This fact is conspicuously absent from statements by the Ecuador government or its lawyers.

However, this is a World Biosphere Reserve geographical area and it deserves special treatment.

Probably time for the Government and the company to bite the bullet and go 50:50. . . . . .after all, BP is expected to 'do the right thing'. . . . all it means is more expensive petrol/gas at the gas station.
Mar 14th, 2011 - 03:59 pm - Link - Report abuse 0
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