Major Oil Companies Making Double Profits From Oil Spills
From Ring of Fire:
An investigation led by a former Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) engineer and an environmental and civil rights attorney is uncovering evidence that major oil companies are being paid twice for cleaning up toxic oil spills. Multibillion-dollar companies like Chevron, ExxonMobil, and BP are being paid for cleanup efforts with state government funds and again, in secret, by insurance companies, Reuters reports.
Thomas Schruben, a Maryland environmental engineer who was involved in drafting government pollution rules while working for the EPA, had long suspected oil companies of double-dipping when dealing with the cleanup of toxic leaks from underground tanks. Schruben has worked as an environmental engineer for over 30 years, specializing in underground storage tanks.
The EPA has noted that leaking underground storage tanks are one of the greatest threats to the nation’s groundwater. Underground storage tanks store “enormous quantities” of petroleum and other toxic substances and are found everywhere, “as close as your nearest gas station.” Leaks and spills due to corrosion or other tank failures can contaminate soil and groundwater, which is the source of drinking water for nearly 50 percent of Americans.
You can read the full article here at Ring of Fire.