You are here
New Initiative to Require Governor Cuomo to Fulfill DEC's Onerous ExxonMobil Contamination Clean Up Pledge/Congrats on Your Hard-Won Praise
Please donate generously to support Toxics Targeting's newest initiative to safeguard New York from fossil fuel hazards. Check to see if you live near any of the sites profiled at: ExxonMobil or Corporate Predecessor Environmental Data Regarding New York State
Greetings Fractivists,
I am pleased to alert you that Toxics Targeting just launched a major new initiative to safeguard public health and the environment from a wide array of toxic contamination concerns reportedly associated with ExxonMobil, or its corporate predecessors, at sites across New York.
For example, extensive pollution has not been cleaned up along the nation's oldest interstate petroleum pipeline from Olean, NY to Bayonne, NJ. Other sites include current or former oil storage depots, compressor stations, petroleum product distribution facilities and arguably the biggest toxic spill in America in Greenpoint, Brooklyn.
This effort is being undertaken with NYPIRG (New York Public Interest Research Group, Inc.), one of our state's largest and most effective advocacy groups.
Our new campaign just got underway and has already received statewide newspaper, radio and TV coverage:
Oil spill data across New York released - News 10 Albany
Oil spill report examines Exxon legacy in New York - Albany Times Union
Report Finds Thousands Of Petroleum Spill Sites Left Unchecked - Spectrum News
State lax on cleaning up toxic sites left by ExxonMobil, report claims - NY Daily News
Capitol Pressroom 4-21-2016 Walter Hang - Toxics Targeting & Blair Horner - NYPIRG Interview - WCNY
Report finds delays in oil spill clean ups in New York - WXXI News
Environmental activists say thousands of oil spills remain across state - Politico NY Pro
Cleanup Inadequate At NY Exxon Legacy Sites, Enviros Say - Law360
Please note that our hard-hitting fossil fuel infrastructure campaign received very nice praise from one of the most astute and respected political observers and reporters in New York. Give yourself a well-deserved pat on the back when you hear what Liz Benjamin, the host of Capitol Tonight, said about our work.
See below and at 8:09: Report Finds Thousands Of Petroleum Spill Sites Left Unchecked - video - Spectrum News - Capitol Tonight with Liz Benjamin
The Olean-Bayonne Crude Oil Pipeline
You will recall that last October, I documented pollution reportedly associated with an abandoned 315-mile Olean-Bayonne crude oil pipeline built in 1881 by the Standard Oil Company, one of ExxonMobil's corporate predecessors. In response, the State Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) declared:
"DEC will continue to hold ExxonMobil responsible to clean up any contamination (emphasis added) in New York State resulting from the Olean, NY to Bayonne, NJ, pipeline built by Standard Oil in 1881. All reported spills have been addressed or are being addressed."
Read the full: DEC ExxonMobil Olean-Bayonne Pipeline Contamination Clean Up Pledge
I write to report that DEC has irrefutably failed to require ExxonMobil to clean up the Olean-Bayonne pipeline's pollution releases or a truly shocking statewide pollution legacy that stretches from Western New York to Eastern Long Island.
See detailed site profiles, a video explaining our findings and press coverage at: ExxonMobil or Corporate Predecessor Environmental Data Regarding New York State
There can be no excuse for DEC's inexplicable delay in requiring ExxonMobil, one the biggest corporations in the history of our state, to clean up its toxic problems in strict compliance with state standards.
I will be in touch shortly about holding Governor Cuomo accountable for fulfilling DEC's weighty ExxonMobil contamination clean up pledge.
Congratulations For All Your Great Work and Hard-Won Praise
At 8:09 of the interview with Liz Benjamin, she said:
"I do want to note... and we were talking about this before we came on the air... I mean, you've been quite effective in mobilizing and informing a very large population of people who are on your email chains, etcetera. And you've been successful in bringing pressure to bear, so the state uses, in some cases, powers that it had not been exercising before, at least not to the fullest extent, when it comes to pipelines and rejection of pipelines. So do you believe that is what you're aiming to do here? Where you're actually going to mobilize that same network of people, you're going to try to pressure the state to actually really pick up its feet and get something done?"
I replied, "That is exactly what I'm going to do. We're going to use that coalition....
Liz interrupted, said, "Shake in your boots, lawmakers," and laughed.
I said, "Well, it's the Governor, it's always the Governor. This is an executive branch problem, where the Department of Environmental Conservation is not cleaning up these problems, for years on end. We're going to pressure the Governor. We're going to basically make sure he deals with this problem. We have tens of thousands of people who wanted to protect New York's environment and public health from shale fracking, from fossil fuel infrastructure projects. And so, as Blair noted, if fossil fuels are so bad for the planet, for public health... they're toxic, we've got to stop using them, we've got to clean up the problems."
Liz later concluded: "Well, gentleman, you'll have to let us know how you do. And if the past is any indication... you may be quite successful."
Conclusion
In a nation devastated by burgeoning shale fracking and unrestricted construction of massive fossil fuel infrastructure projects from coast-to-coast, our sophisticated campaign has been instrumental in sheltering New York from those hazards.
I commend your efforts. It is a privilege to work with you. May our unrelenting and highly effective campaign continue to serve the public good.
Finally, we hit the daily double on Thursday and also received press coverage on shale fracking: Expected lawsuits don't follow NY fracking ban
Onward and upward,
Walter
Please donate generously to support Toxics Targeting's uniquely powerful anti-fracking and fossil fuel infrastructure campaign. This work simply cannot be done without your financial support. Thank you for your consideration.
Twitter: http://twitter.com/ttmarcellus
DEC’s Unplugged Abandoned Wells Database & Overview Map
Marcellus Shale Interactive Map
