Alaskan Oil Warnings
Although President Bush is touting remarkable technological advances
in the last 10 years that have dramatically decreased the environmental
impact of oil and gas exploration, employees from BP Amoco
leader of the consortium that wants to drill in the Arctic National
Wildlife Refuge (ANWR) have set up a web site (www.ANWRnews.com)
to express their concerns about BPs commitment to worker safety
and the environment.
Operations and maintenance technicians employed at BPs Prudhoe
Bay operations west of ANWR say cost-cutting efforts have undermined
their ability to respond to emergencies, while faulty safety valves
have reduced the reliability of critical safety systems.
We are afraid for our safety, and we are afraid for the environment.
British Petroleum has steadfastly refused to hear our concerns,
the workers say.
BP spokesperson Ronnie Chappel says the companys operations are
safe and getting safer. BPs lost-time injury rate is less
than half of what it was seven years ago. In a large, complex operation
like ours, the only way to achieve that kind of safety performance is
through good operating procedures and good maintenance.
Although Chappel says BP has added system redundancies to halt potential
environmental spills, the workers also expressed concern that a major
spill could damage the industrys reputation as the debate over
drilling in ANWR heats up, and could potentially put them all out of
work.
On April 17, a Phillips petroleum pipeline caused the fourth major
spill of the winter on Alaskas northern slope, spreading 92,400
gallons of saltwater and crude oil. State officials say the saltwater,
which is used to boost pressure and enhance oil flow, may be more damaging
to the tundra than oil.
Grace Wont Pay
Chemicals giant W.R. Grace filed for bankruptcy protection in April,
allowing it to establish a sound capital structure for long-term
growth and profitability, while protecting the company from asbestos-related
liability claims.
So far 325,000 personal injury claims have been filed and Grace has
paid $1.9 billion to resolve asbestos-related litigation. The number
of claims rose 81 percent in 2000 after other defendants, including
Babcock & Wilcox, Owens Corning, Armstrong and GAF also filed for
bankruptcy protection.
We believe the state court system for dealing with asbestos claims
is broken, and that Grace cannot effectively defend itself against unmeritorious
claims, Grace CEO Paul Norris says.
Company officials say they will continue to work closely with
asbestos claimants and other creditors, but asbestos victims believe
the move is part of a squeeze play that may leave them without any options
in the future.
With Grace going bankrupt well have to go through the federal
government to get funding for treatment programs, says Gayla Bennefield,
an asbestos victims advocate from Libby, Montana.
Bennefield says asbestos victims may have huge medical bills to pay
in the future because Medicare is beginning to restrict coverage by
categorizing asbestosis as an occupational illness. Numerous Libby residents
have asbestos-related symptoms without having worked in the mines. Meanwhile,
some insurance companies are refusing coverage when Medicare wont
make partial payment.
People cannot afford this disease. Meanwhile the federal government
passed a law that made credit card bankruptcy almost impossible. They
protect the major corporations, but not their victims. No matter what
way you cut it, people here are being screwed, Bennefield says.
2000 Roger Awards
Tranz Rail is the recipient of the 2000 Award for the worst multinational
corporation in New Zealand, the Campaign Against Foreign Control of
Aotearoa (CAFCA) and GATT Watchdog announced in April.
The Roger award is named after Sir Roger Douglas, Minister
of Finance during the Labor government of the 1980s.
Tranz Rail was judged by an independent panel as the worst based on
a safety record that left five dead in seven months, as well as for
planning to strip its assets and make major reductions in its workforce
and services.
The company previously won the Roger continuity award in
1999 for its persistent failure to address its appalling safety
record after receiving the first Roger award in 1997.
I think our record speaks for itself, says Sue Foley, a
Tranz Rail spokesperson. What happened in the past is past. Weve
certainly learned from it.
British American Tobacco (BAT) was listed as the years runner-up.
The whole tobacco industry richly deserves the opprobrium it
receives for recruiting young people, particularly young Maori, to smoke
this addictive and harmful drug to replace the profits from those wisely
giving it up, the judges noted. What singles out BAT in
2000 is its near monopoly position [in New Zealand], created by the
international merger with Rothmans.
Other finalists were banking and oil giants, WestpacTrust and BP, together
with PR firm Shandwick and last years winner, power company TransAlta.
CAFCA spokesperson Murray Horton says that a record number of nominations
reflects growing community concern about corporate spin and successive
governments blind faith in the dangerous idea that whats
good for big business is good for all of us.
Charlie Cray
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