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ThemediacapturegamecontinuesByMegWhiteBuzzFlash.March232009.TheExxonValdezOilSpillOnIts20thAnniversaryWeCantLetCorporateMediaTelltheStory29servicestationaustraliawinter09ssa.org.auAlotofthemediatellingthestoryhavespokentoBigOilbeforetalkingtosmalltownAlaska.Thisweekyoumaycatchthesliverofmediacoverageregardingthe20thanniversaryoftheExxonValdezoilspillandregretfullytherewillonlybeasliverforavarietyofreasons.UnfortunatelyalotofthepeopletellingthestoryhavespokentoBigOilbeforetalkingtosmalltownAlaskaandthemeageramountofanniversarycoveragethatthepublicwillreceivewillbedamagedbecauseofthat.RikiOttamarinebiologistlivinginCordovaAKwhohasstudiedtheecologicalsocialandeconomiceffectsofthespillfromdayonetoldBuzzFlashwhatsheasanunofficialspokespersonforthosehurtbythespilllearnedaboutthegameofmediacaptureinhersparswithExxonIfthemediaspokewithExxonpeoplefirstandthencametouswewouldfindourselveshavingtodisprovewhatExxonhadalreadysaidinsteadofjustbeingabletotellourownstory.AndthestorieswerealwaysspuntowardExxon.SoIthinkitsagameofmediacaptureOttsaidinaBuzzFlashinterview.Ithinkallthesebigcorporationshavethepublicrelationsanglecompletelydownatoolthattheyusetocontroldamageandultimatelytominimizeliabilityincourt.Someofthemisinformationisunintentionalandunavoidable.Thoughyoullsee11milliongallonsofoilspilledintoPrinceWilliamSoundrepeatedinthemediatheresnowaytoknowifthatnumberisaccurate.Mostscientistssay11millionisalow-endestimatenowplacingtheirguessesashighas30milliongallons.Otherfactsareblatantlymisreported.TheNewYorkTimeseditorialpieceaboutthe20thanniversaryassertsthisaboutthecurrentstateofaffairsSupertankershavebeenmadesaferwithdoublehullsemergencyteamsgivenbetterequipment.Somefishspeciesthoughnotallhaverecovered.Suresomesupertankershavedoublehulls.ButthattechnologywhileavailableandpromisedmanydecadesagoisfarfromuniversalandExxonMobilisdraggingitsfeetagainsttheextraprecautionasstrenuouslyasanyotheroilcompanyifnotmoreso.ThedoublehullsarentactuallymandatedbyCongressuntil2015thankstotheOilPollutionActof1990whichwasinspiredbytheExxonValdezspillitself.Inadditionthedebateoverwhichspecieshaverecoveredandevenwhatrecoverymeansiscontentioustosaytheleastandtheaboveeditorialdoesnotevenacknowledgethecontroversy.EvensomeprogressivenewssourcestakeExxonswordthattheyvepaid3.4billionindamagesandcleanupcostsbuttheyrevictimsoffuzzymath.AccordingtoAmyE.TrainerinherarticleTheWholeTruthWhatExxonreallypaidfortheExxonValdezOilSpillavailablefordownloadhereThetrueamountoffinancialliabilitythatExxonincurredafterfactoringintaxcreditsinsurancepaymentsandthediscountrateasappliedtothecivilnaturalresourcesdamagesfineismuchcloserto1776000000orroughlyhalfofwhatExxonhasclaimed.EveniftheycorrectlypresentthefactsandtheliesofthiscomplexstoryyoucanbetfewnewsorganizationswillbringupExxonMobilsannualprofits.AstherestoftheworldsinksintoarecessionExxonisbreakingitsownrecordsinthemoney-makingcontest.YettheystilldragoutpaymentstoAlaskanswhohavelosteverythingdrivingmanyintopovertyasappellatecourtshalvesettlementamountsoverandoveragain.Thenofcoursetheresthefactthatthisisntancienthistory.AswesawearlierthismonthinAustraliadevastatingoilspillsstilloccurtothisdayandwithalarmingfrequency.ForthesereasonsBuzzFlashranaseriesontheExxonValdezlastmonth.Duetothemulti-facetednatureofthisstorywesplititupintofourpartsOurfirstarticleaddressestheeffortsofAlaskanstotryandforceoilcompaniestosafelytransportoilbeforethespillinanattempttoavoiddisasterssuchastheExxonValdez.ThesecondarticleintheseriesdealswiththedespicableattemptsofExxontoavoidmakinggoodonitspromisestocleanupandpayforthedamageitinflicteduponAlaska.ThethirdinourseriesdetailstheenvironmentaldevastationthatcontinuestoplaguetheSoundtothisday.FinallypartfourtalksaboutExxonscommitmenttoshoddyscienceandpropagandawhichsupportstheirliesaboutoilandtheenvironment.Tomorrowwellbepublishinganin-depthinterviewwiththeaforementionedRikiOttwhohasanexcellentnewbookoutaboutthespillandspentthepast20yearsfightingforPrinceWilliamSound.Rikisstoryisourstoryandtherearemanyreasonswhytheprogressivecommunityneedstohearit.TheExxonValdezoilspillwasthelargestman-madedisastertoeverafflictournation.TheeffectsoftheoilofwhichmuchisstilllyingjustbeneaththesurfaceofthebeachesofPrinceWilliamSoundarestillbeingfelttodaythankstocover-upsandtheshoddyqualityoftheinitialcleanupefforts.BeyondtheenvironmentalmassacreprecipitatedbythespillitselfExxonisguiltyofextremenegligence.Alaskan