By: Priscila Néri, Posted: Mar 24 09

Regions: United States

Issues: Corporations and human rights, Environment, Water

Tags: corporate accountability, environmental justice, fisher folk, impunity, oil, oil spill

"Our way of life has drastically changed where Exxon's way of life has profited.  We were hoping what Exxon would do for us is just settle and make it right so we can get on with our lives and they can get on with theirs..." -- Dune Lankard, Native Fisherman and Founder of the Eyak Preservation Council

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The largest oil spill in North American history happened 20 years ago when the Exxon Valdez oil tanker struck the Bligh Reef and spilled nearly 11 million gallons of oil into Alaska's Prince William Sound.

After two decades, the communities and fishermen in Cordova, Alaska, still struggle with the consequences of the disaster - and it's not just the environmental damage that destroyed the foundation of their economy, or the widespread health problems tied to the spill that they face.  Their pursuit of justice and reparations in the courts resulted in Exxon being ordered to pay $5 billion in punitive damages - but this was met with a series of appeals, reducing the final amount to $500 million, or one-tenth of the original amount, barely enough to cover the cost of the clean-up or the debts the fisheries incurred after years of lost income.

Today we look back at the case - as part of our series on environmental rights - with excerpts of Black Wave: The Legacy of Exxon Valdez - a documentary that takes us through the environmental, social, and economic consequences left behind from the spill.  

Read more in this post by Dave Taub & Kelly Matheson.