Chevron Accused Of 'World's Worst Oil-Related Disaster' In Ecuador: Alleged Evidence Submitted In Lawsuit (PHOTOS)

Could there be enough "overwhelming" evidence against Chevron to merit a payment of over $100 billion? Tens of thousands of Ecuador's residents are the plaintiff in an environmental damages lawsuit against Chevron, and they believe the evidence speaks loud and clear, which is detailed in the first part of the final written argument against Chevron recently released by the Amazonian communities' lawyers.

Chevron ran several oil fields in Ecuador until the early 1990's -- Petroecuador, a state-owned oil company, took over the oilfields in 1992. The plaintiff claims that in the time that Chevron operated the oil fields, it disastrously harmed both the environment and human health.

The plaintiff believes that Chevron intentionally disposed of billions of gallons of toxic waste by dumping them into rivers and streams. They also argue that Chevron spilled thousands of oil barrels, built and abandoned 900 toxic waste pits, and ordered the destruction of oil spill records. It is possible that the company could be liable for up to $113 billion, according to plaintiff damage assessment reports.

Meanwhile, Chevron argues that Ecuador's contamination cannot be linked to its operations in the country. At the same time, they argue that any contamination that had existed was cleaned up during a past "remediation," and thus, any remaining contamination is Petroecuador's responsibility.

But plaintiff spokesperson Karen Hinton believes that the submitted scientific evidence "proves overwhelmingly that Chevron is responsible for what is widely regarded as the world's worst oil-related disaster."

Photos and captions below, courtesy of the Amazon Defense Coalition, show some of the alleged devastation that Chevron is being sued for.

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A hand covered in crude from an open toxic pool in the Ecuadorean Amazon rainforest near Lago Agrio. Flickr/Caroline Bennett/Rainforest Action Network

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A hand covered in crude from an open toxic pool in the Ecuadorean Amazon rainforest near Lago Agrio.

Flickr/Caroline Bennett/Rainforest Action Network

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Comments

[Orikinla]

09:51 AM on 01/27/2011

We have seen worse things in the Niger Delta of Nigeria.
But most go unreported, because the local and international news agencies have compromised the ethics of journalism.

How many Nigerian newspapers are on the payroll of Chevron?
How many Nigerian journalists have collected fat brown envelopes from Chevron?

The Untold Story of the $10.8 Billion Tax Evasion and Fraud By Chevron Nigeria Limited and Its Associated Companies is the biggest tax evasion fraud in the history of Nigeria.
It is bigger than the Halliburton bribery scandal!

http://www.nigeriansreport.com/2010/03/untold-story-of-108-billion-tax-evasion.html

[Friendly]

02:08 PM on 01/26/2011

They will try to turn it into a battle between science and evidence when it is a fight between poor people and powerful thieves. One thing is for certain. At the end of the year Oil corporations will declare huge gains and the Ecuador will discover more polution and more victims. When will we ever learn?

I switched to public transportation last year and I am ok.

[tjconkster]

01:19 AM on 01/26/2011

Only a matter of time before this happens here...with RepubliCorp/Republican Tea Party politicians doing all they can to deregulate industries in favor of corporations....America The Beautiful will be on life support in a few short years....Yes the Citizens United Decision will ensure that the Corporations will have it their way...and RepubliCorp/Republican Tea Party will rake in millions....

[HHUA]

01:27 AM on 01/26/2011

Fast approaching... Case in point, Newt Gingrich announced he would like to can the EPA!

Thanks for the link!

[mudman11]

12:30 AM on 01/26/2011

The types of oil field waste pits mentioned in this article and the environmental impact studies relating to the lawsuit can be found by the thousands in all oil producing countries in Latin America (Venezuela, Mexico, Colombia, Ecuador, Brazil, Peru, Chile and Argentina). It was standard operating procedure for oil companies that operated in the third world from the 1940's on was to leave these untreated waste pits behind. The majority of oil companies producing oil from these fields today delay, postpone or ignore treating these pits because of the cost involved.
The technology exist to properly remediate these types of pits. Unfortunately, most companies that do undertake these projects do a substandard job to save money.

[dporterdvd]

06:13 PM on 01/25/2011

Chevron is to Ecuador what BP is to the United States, only many times worse.

[fuzzychickens]

06:11 PM on 01/25/2011

Chevron puchased the right (bought the company) to large format NiMh batteries for electric cars in the 90's so that they can continue to do things like this.

Patent squating is one of the dumb ways patent law can be abused.

[capjas1369]

03:45 PM on 01/25/2011

whew woo - another awesome example of that American Exceptionalism I hear about all the time. They'll pay a fine and move on to another country once that one is destroyed. The CEO will probably get a fat bonus once they see how much $$ they saved in clean up.

[responsinator]

02:00 PM on 01/25/2011

I tried a couple times to respond to the Chevron guys comment but it keeps disappearing, figured I would give this a shot. How can a 3rd world country start their own oil manufacturing plant? Even if the people continue their operation surely no one is dumb enough to believe they started it all on their own. They are just following in Chevron's footsteps with their systems of operation.

[responsinator]

01:44 PM on 01/25/2011

WTH is wrong with people?

[Cael]

01:17 PM on 01/25/2011

I am not a supporter of the death penatly, but in cases like this where greedy S. O. B's purposely destroy the enviroment and cause casualities to not only the current generaton but future generations for the almight dollar, I would change my opinion if only temporary.

[GerryS]

12:48 PM on 01/25/2011

I have worked in Ecuador, twice. Both times for 2 months.

This is as bad or worse than it sounds,,,,,,,,,,,, trust me, I've seen it----------

[medic628]

02:29 AM on 01/25/2011

Now they are doing the same thing in Africa, but that is to far away to get any ink.

[single malt]

08:40 AM on 01/25/2011

You mean more American companies are exploiting 3rd world nations and not caring who they harm?

[MysticInd]

01:47 AM on 01/25/2011

"Could there be enough "overwhelming" evidence against Chevron to merit a payment of over $100 billion? " Yes, end to story; make these corporations responsible for their pollution!

[TricksR4Kids]

01:45 AM on 01/25/2011

This story keeps resurfacing in the news. Its vile and goes proves again the world and its people mean nothing to corporations and their profit.

[Amberguesa]

01:24 AM on 01/25/2011

Absolutely disgusting and sad.

We should send those responsible to live in the contaminated area so that they can fully realize the consequences of their actions. Perhaps they'd be a bit more responsible if their own health and well-being were on the line. (Wishful thinking, I know.)