February 10, 1999
Patience Andersen
Survivors of the Exxon Valdez Oil Spill
Cordova, Alaska 99574
Dear Ms. Andersen:
I wish I could be there with you, the other survivors of the Exxon Valdez Disaster, and my good friend and colleague, Congressman Bob Menendez to speak out against the proposed Exxon-Mobil merger. Although I cannot attend myself, I applaud you for having the courage to oppose this merger, and for your ongoing efforts to bring attention to Exxon's deplorable environmental record.
Ten years after the Valdez disaster, Exxon still will not own up to its responsibility and fix the damage it caused in 1989. Although communities continue to suffer, Exxon still refuses to accept blame for the devastation it caused. With this kind of record, we should be punishing Exxon, not rewarding it. We certainly shouldn't be letting Exxon expand so that it can dominate an even greater share of the oil market.
This merger will be bad for consumers, bad for the environment, bad for competition, and bad for the people of Alaska. It is simply outrageous that we would even consider allowing it to proceed while Exxon still has not paid its debt to the state of Alaska and the victims of the Valdez oil spill.
I urge you not to let Exxon off the hook for its gross irresponsibility. Keep fighting this merger, keep working to expose Exxon's record, and keep holding Exxon accountable for the devastation it caused.
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CAROLYN B. MALONEY
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