New York League of Conservation Voters
Applauds Newtown Creek Lawsuit

The New York League of Conservation Voters, New York State's largest political action group focusing on the environment, welcomed an announcement by New York Attorney General Andrew M. Cuomo that his office has filed suit against Exxon Mobil Corp. and ExxonMobil Refining and Supply Co. to force the cleanup of Newtown Creek.

"This action sends a strong signal to corporations that fail to live up to their environmental commitments: You will be held accountable for your actions as well as your inaction," said Marcia Bystryn, executive director of the New York League of Conservation Voters. "We applaud Attorney General Cuomo for showing that when it comes to enforcing New York's tough environmental laws, he means business."

Newtown Creek is a 3.5-mile-long waterway that separates Queens and Brooklyn and flows into the East River. Spills from ExxonMobil's refinery and storage operations there seeped into the ground creating a plume of oil floating on top of the groundwater. Some of the oil dissolved into the groundwater, contaminating both the groundwater and the surrounding soil. It is estimated that at one time at least 17 million gallons of oil were present underneath more than 100 acres of Greenpoint, Brooklyn, and the remainder is now present underneath approximately 55 acres.

In the almost 30 years since that discovery, Exxon has barely recovered half of the oil, has made no progress in identifying the extent of the dissolved groundwater plume or treating the contaminated soil, and has not addressed the contamination in Newtown Creek.

The suit seeks the termination of oil spills into the creek; scientific testing and investigations to determine the full scope of the environmental contamination in the area; increased recovery of underground oil; cleanup of contaminated groundwater and soil; restoration of Newtown Creek; damages for the injuries to the affected natural resources; and substantial financial penalties.