Twenty years ago today, a drunk sailor crashed his oil tanker in the Prince William Sound spilling 10.8 million gallons of oil ruining and ending the lives of native man and beast. Recent scientific studies conducted by the Exxon Valdez trust indicate that the oil is still present--an estimated 16,000 gallons are still buried--and the herring, a keystone species for the Sound, have not recovered.Last year, the supreme court cut the damages due the local fisherman from the massive corporation. Original punitive damages amounted to approximately 1-year's profit for the behemoth--the new amount doesn't even cover the costs of bankruptcy lawyers for the fisherman who lost their livelihood.
Happy Anniversary Exxon--you thoroughly screwed us on that one!
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