BREAKING NEWS - Survivors of the Exxon Valdez Oil Spill

BREAKING NEWS

The 40,000-plus spill victims vote to oppose Exxon-Mobil merger

On February 10th, 1999, nine citizens' and governmental organizations from across Prince William Sound, Alaska -- representing thousands of fisherpeople and natives affected by the Exxon Valdez Oil Spill -- voted to oppose the Exxon-Mobil merger.

The organizations include Cordova District Fishermen United; Prince William Sound Aquaculture Corporation; Kenai Peninsula Fishermen's Association; Upper Cook Inlet Drift Association; Copper River Salmon Association; City of Cordova; Native Village of Eyak; Native Village of Tatitlek; and the Alaska Wilderness League. Also signing the resolution: Public Citizen; Alaska Public Interest Research Group; and U.S. Public Interest Research Group.

The resolution demonstrates remarkable unity among the people of Prince William Sound.

The resolution is reprinted herein:

A RESOLUTION URGING OUR ELECTED FEDERAL AND STATE REPRESENTATIVES TO LEAD THE OPPOSITION TO THE PROPOSED EXXON-MOBIL MERGER, AND URGING MOBIL TO DROP ITS BID TO MERGE WITH EXXON

WHEREAS, Exxon Corporation has engaged in misconduct over the past ten years in handling the March 24, 1989 Exxon Valdez disaster; and

WHEREAS, Exxon Corporation has misled Alaskans and all the American people about how little it has done to mitigate the spill's devastation; and

WHEREAS, our people continue to suffer massive economic losses caused by the spill, with Exxon Corporation never having compensated many families for their losses; and

WHEREAS, our environment continues to suffer, with many species never having recovered from the spill, including sea otters, harbor seals, harlequin ducks, pacific herring and pink salmon, among other species; and

WHEREAS, Exxon Corporation's refusal to make our communities whole continues to leave citizens in economic, social, cultural and emotional pain; and

WHEREAS, Exxon Corporation's corporate irresponsibility is evident in its inability to prove itself to be environmentally and socially accountable; and

WHEREAS, additional amassment of power by Exxon Corporation could further endanger us, our fellow Alaskans and those in other parts of the world where Exxon Corporation does business:

NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED:

We ask our elected Federal representatives, including U.S. Senators Ted Stevens and Frank Murkowski, and Congressman Don Young, and our State officials, including Governor Tony Knowles, Attorney General Bruce Botelho and all State legislators, to lead the opposition to the Exxon-Mobil merger.

AND BE IT RESOLVED:

We ask the Mobil Corporation to drop its bid to merge with Exxon Corporation.

ADOPTED THIS 10th DAY OF FEBRUARY 1999 BY:

Cordova District Fishermen United
Prince William Sound Aquaculture Corporation
Kenai Peninsula Fishermen's Association
Upper Cook Inlet Drift Association
Copper River Salmon Association
City of Cordova
Native Village of Eyak
Native Village of Tatitlek
Alaska Wilderness League
Alaska Public Interest Research Group
U.S. Public Interest Research Group
Public Citizen

Next: National environmental organizations join victims to oppose Exxon-Mobil merger