In his first major environmental legal maneuver as attorney general, Andrew Cuomo is suing ExxonMobil (and four other companies) to cleanup a major oil spill in Newton Creek in Greenpoint, Brooklyn.

It's a big turnaround for the state. The spill took place fifty years ago, and there's a reported eight million gallons of oil and petroleum byproducts sitting under the neighborhood. There's been loads of lawsuits filed by environmental groups and even an agreement to clear the mess in 1990 --- but alas, there's been no action. Cuomo's clearly hs plans to change that. Read about it here.

This aggressive pursuit of polluters comes as no surprise to us as Cuomo clearly talked the talk in his 2006 NYLCV Attorney General Questionnaire:

"Damages must be recovered from polluting offenders in a more expeditious manor. Far too often fines and damages are left in limbo as polluters drag their feet and stall in hopes of waiting out their responsibilities. The Attorney General's office must work to ensure that offenses on the environment are mitigated and corrected appropriately."

Now he's walkin' the walk...