UPDATE: Exxon Pleads Guilty To Violating Environmental Law Protecting Birds

[babylonsister]

Exxon Pleads Guilty To Violating Environmental Law Protecting Birds

By Brent Kendall
Of DOW JONES NEWSWIRES


WASHINGTON (Dow Jones)--Exxon Mobil Corp. (XOM) has pleaded guilty to environmental violations in connection with killing scores of migratory birds at its drilling and production facilities in the midwestern U.S., the U.S. Justice Department announced Thursday.

The oil giant pleaded guilty to violating the federal Migratory Bird Treaty Act and will pay $600,000 in fines and community service payments for the deaths of 85 protected birds, including waterfowl, hawks and owls.

Exxon also will be placed on three years probation and must implement an environmental compliance plan aimed at preventing future bird deaths. The company already has spent more than $2.5 million to begin implementing environmental protections, the department said.

The department said the bird deaths took place from 2004 to 2009 at Exxon facilities in Colorado, Wyoming, Oklahoma, Texas and Kansas. The birds died after landing on oily wastewater ponds and natural gas well reserve pits, authorities said.

more...

http://online.wsj.com/article/BT-CO-20090813-713489.html

[taterguy]

1. Say it ain't so. Oil companies are hazardous to wildlife?

Who woulda thunk it?

[waiting for hope]

2. I haven't purchased gas from Exxon since

the Valdez. $600,000 is chump change to them.

[taterguy]

6. Have you purchased it from gas stations that they supply?

Do you know?

[waiting for hope]

7. I ususaly do Citgo and BP -

and know that I may be getting gas from Exxon - but it just was a point to make by not ever going to an Exxon station to fill up.

[taterguy]

9. Honestly, I don't see much difference between oil companies

I think of the Valdez thing as the drunk driver who happened to get caught or cause an accident.

Morally they're all guilty of pretty much the same thing.

Besides, my local Exxon has great piped-in music.

[waiting for hope]

11. I didn't like the way they fought it -

and lied about separate secret deals they made. The incident happened in 1989 and it was finally settled last year.

[taterguy]

13. What was your reason for boycotting before they fought it?

I stand by my statement that they're no better or worse than other oil companies.

I suspect any of the other ones would have done the same thing, if they had been unlucky enough to employ Captain Hazelwood. (Although I honestly don't know enough about the industry to know if other oil companies used more care when hiring tanker captains).

[waiting for hope]

14. Their bad press handling it after the

accident - and I agree, they are no better or worse, but 20 years ago, it was my first boycotts for principal and I have never broken it by buying gas at a station that has Exxon on the front.

[taterguy]

15. We must have a different definition of principal

In real life I've had arguments with people who wanted to drive out of their way to avoid buying Exxon gas.

I thought that was silly since the general principle is to preserve the environment, but driving more is counterproductive.

[Caliman73]

3. a whole 2.5 million? Wow, that is harsh!!

What percentage of their operating budget is that? What percentage of their profits? The fuckers wreck the environment constantly, then they get a slap on the wrist and go on their merry way to pollute some more.

[babylonsister]

5. They pled guilty. Add that $600,000 and

hopefully some belated concern for the environment and birds, and I'll be okay with that.

I'm sure someone will be monitoring them, so that's a plus, too.

[wtbymark]

4. Can we get a three strikes rule on these bastards

they violate some law of fraud or protection from harm practically every day, We get hurt, they don't care, they just pay some bucks and they're all good. I say, three major violations of the publics trust and the corps. charter should be history. Fuck you Exxon/Mobil, you're too big to exist (and too nasty)

[barbtries]

8. $600,000?

like six bucks to you or me.

[babylonsister]

10. From the article:

The company already has spent more than $2.5 million to begin implementing environmental protections.

I know it's not a lot in the scheme of things, but I'm glad they were busted.

[barbtries]

12. that comes out of their petty cash till

i want to see them really get HURT. and for heads to roll. this won't change a thing imo.

[amborin]

16. ghastly!

and look what the other oil corps have done in Ecuador, in the rain forests at the mouth of the Amazon, just horrible!