Voices of Cordova

March 13, 2008 at 1:25PM AKST

Whether they traveled to Washington D.C., found themselves in Juneau or followed events at home, Cordovans continued in the fight of their legal lives with Exxon Mobil Corp. in the U.S. Supreme Court on Wednesday, Feb 28.

Here’s a roundup of local reaction, which includes the last interview Cordova Vice Mayor Mike O’Leary had with The Cordova Times:

After hearing the initial news from the normal news sources (about the oral arguments Feb. 27), I was disappointed. But, after reading the transcripts, I feel the entire court called bull to what can only be called very desperate whining by Exxon. And on this alone, I think we should all feel good.

Some on the court did seem receptive to Exxon’s claim that the punitive damages were too large.’a0But, on this count we can feel that our glass is half full as the court certainly brushed aside all arguments that punitive damages at any level are unreasonable.

I look forward to summer when, I feel, we will hear our glass is mostly full.

I also want to send a huge thank you to all involved in the Whole Truth campaign; they dug deep and sprinted to the finish after a grueling and often disappointing 18-year marathon.

They made a big splash, and all ripples in the pond are felt.

– Cordova Vice Mayor Mike O’Leary

 

Cordova is on the map in Juneau right now. Everyone was reading the paper, looking at Internet sites and listening to the news about the oral arguments.

All the comments I heard were positive for Cordova. Many people could not understand how the Supreme Court could rule any way but in favor of the plaintiffs.

The most-often-heard question was which way the justices were leaning. Of course there is no way to know exactly how they will vote, but everyone was rooting for the plaintiffs and Cordova.

Those that had been watching the news were very impressed with the way Cordovans presented their stories.

It is hard to imagine the Supreme Court overturning the ruling of the 9th Circuit Court in this case.

At this point, it is not about the money, it is about justice. In 1994, the award was set to let Exxon and other companies know that negligence in the corporate office by allowing such behavior of their captains will be severely punished in the hope that they will not want to ever take the chance of it happening again.

Now, the reduced award is only three weeks of Exxon profit, hardly a major punishment. If the Supreme Court justices change this verdict it will send the wrong message to the big oil companies. I hope and pray that they provide a just ruling and put and end to this case.

– Cordova Mayor Tim Joyce

We’re so tired of it. There is no justice. We want to be done with it and believe in our country and our system. The money is irrelevant. I was 34 at the time (of the spill). This has been 19 years of my life.

 

– Sylvia Lange, owner, Reluctant Fisherman Inn

Now we wait some more. We will have closure, and perhaps justice.

 

– Cordova fisherman R.J. Kopchak

 

We have made it through the lean years that followed the spill. I feel like a survivor of the Exxon Valdez oil spill whatever the decision.

– Ilanka Cultural Art Director, Mary Babic, married to fisherman Russ Babic

 

We were anxious to clean up the Prince William Sound. I never rubbed a rock with an oil absorbent pad. I felt that the work I was doing with the high-powered steamer was more effective. In reality, it was the worst possible job to have as the vapors have made thousands of oil recovery technicians very ill. Some testing should be done on some of the local workers who put in the most time on the sites that were cleaned.

– Alaska Native oil spill recovery technician Christine Belgarde

 

It is really the loss of lifestyle. I feel drained and I am hoping it will be resolved. We have suffered.

 

– Libbie Graham, co-owner of the Powder House, who was fully absorbed in the herring fishery that occurred like clockwork every spring until its post-spill collapse

 

– Compiled by The Cordova Times news editor, Joy Landaluce. Send your recollections of the Exxon Valdez oil spill to her at joy.cdvtimes@ctcak.net or (907) 424-7181.