Chevron Signals Willingness to Settle Lawsuit Charging Massive Pollution in Ecuadorian Jungle. By Anna Driver, Reuters, August 15, 2008. "Chevron on Friday said it was open to an amicable solution to resolve a lawsuit by 30,000 Amazon jungle dwellers suing the U.S. oil major in Ecuador for up to $16 billion in environmental damages. 'Chevron desires to have a fair and complete resolution to the Lago Agrio case,' the company said in a statement, adding that any talks will need to 'include discussion of Petroecuador's unfulfilled contractual obligations and a commitment from the Ecuadorean state to stop interfering in the ongoing trial.' On Wednesday, Ecuador said it would be willing to mediate a settlement between Chevron and the peasants and Indians who are suing the company over charges its Texaco unit polluted the jungles and damaged their health by dumping billions of gallons of oil-laden water from 1972 to 1992. [Editor's note: Back in May, as Chevron was in the midst of its takeover of Texaco, Common Dreams reported that, 'Texaco dumped some 4.3 million gallons per day of toxic oil waste water over a period of 20 years, or the equivalent of three Exxon Valdez oil disasters, [also leaving] behind more than 300 open waste pits contaminated with heavy metals and other carcinogenic hydrocarbon compounds...Damages caused by Texaco's practices are estimated to be in excess of $1 billion.']"
2008-08-18
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