Finally, one of the largest and most controversial environmental lawsuits sees a favorable ruling.
Last week Chevron was found responsible for dumping 18.5 billion gallons of toxic waste in the Amazon. An Ecuadorian judge ordered the company to pay $8.6 billion in damages and to clean up the devastated region.
An unprecedented environmental disaster
For 25 years Texaco (now part of Chevron) carelessly extracted oil from northern Ecuador. During that time, the oil company deliberately dumped 18.5 billion gallons of toxic waste sludge into nearly 1,000 open-air, unlined pits. Lax environmental regulations and cost-cutting measures have sacrificed the health of the region’s 30,000 indigenous people and surrounding Amazon rainforest. Still today, the poisons from this sludge continue to seep into the ground and contaminate local waters and agriculture. Our Global Advisor Network, Rainforest Action Network (RAN), calls this “one of the largest environmental disasters in history.”
Greengrants has worked with RAN over the last decade to support one of the leading groups in the fight for justice and accountability in Ecuador: Amazon Defense Front (Frente de Defensa de la Amazonia). Three small grants to the group have funded legal action, awareness campaigns, and efforts to make available clean water, medical supplies and treatment for community members suffering the health impacts of this toxic legacy.
The beginning of the end
Last week’s ruling comes after nearly 20 years of bitter litigation. And while Greengrants, our ally networks and grantees, and the thousands of people who have been affected by the corporate abuses are celebrating, the battle is far from over.
In an international teleconference the day after the decision, Humberto Piaguaje, a local indigenous leader, remarked on the ruling, which the plaintiffs plan to appeal:
“For us this is an historic day. This was meant to happen and it’s fair with regard to human rights. I lived through the 30 years of irresponsible oil practiced by Texaco and also lived thru the legal actions. We’re very proud of the judgment even though the damages amount is not sufficient.
“I say it’s not sufficient because you can’t really put a dollar number to the deaths of our ancestors and all the animal life that has been lost because of the actions of Chevron. So this award further strengthens us in our fight as an indigenous nationality in our goal of having Chevron pay up for what they have done.”
On the contrary, Chevron has labeled the judgment as “illegitimate and unenforceable…the product of fraud and contrary to the legitimate scientific evidence.” Despite the expert reports (1,400 cancer deaths and 10,000 people at risk of contracting disease in coming decades), the corporation continues to deny any responsibility. They also plan to appeal the decision.
And the battle for social and environmental justice wages on.
For more background on the situation in Ecuador, check out RAN’s “We Can Change Chevron” campaign.